The Taste of Metallic and Burn
by child of gust
Summary: Sokka never imagines himself as one to be as comfortable to accept the fact he's living with Zuko and his psychopath sister, but he's tolerating it. Until burned corpses marked for Azula starts appearing up on the front door like presents. Something is up, and Sokka might get more than what he bargains for.
1. Prologue

**The Taste of Metallic and Burn**

**Sokka never imagines himself as one to be as comfortable to accept the fact he's living with Zuko and his psychopath sister, but he's tolerating it. Until burned corpses marked for Azula starts appearing up on the front door like presents. Something is up, and Sokka might get more than what he bargains for.**

**_Post-war, sorta a future-fic. Sokka/Azula. Other pairings may be hinted. AU if you're lining the scenes with LoK_. **

**Prologue**.

Today, Prince Zuko and Avatar Aang will be arriving at the Southern Water Tribe after three years without properly settling down, for the 'Meeting of The Century' as lots of people have call it, to finally (once again) return back the proper title of _Firelord_ back to Zuko and for Aang to finally execute his Avatar duty in peace.

It was three years back that Zuko had shockingly announced his 'temporary-break' from being a Firelord, handing the title to Iroh who accepted it without any hesitation. Sokka honestly didn't (still doesn't) know that there is such a thing as 'temporary-break' from being a freaking Firelord, and apparently, a lot of people shared the same thought. It was even more of a shock when Zuko announced, this time discreetly - only to the people that mattered, that he was going to travel with Aang.

His reasons became somewhat vivid after a while. "I am going to find a cure for my sister," he drawled, no obvious emotion passed across his face.

Sokka remembers glancing slightly behind Zuko, where the former-shell of what-once-was a proud Princess sat, her head hung low and the word '_crazy_' crossed his mind in a low, harsh whisper. It was clear that something happened between Azula and Zuko after the manic Princess was captured, and that 'something' must be extremely horrible that it forced Zuko to gave up his Firelord stand, even if it's for a while, and find a cure for it. With _Aang_, no less.

"As you all may have been informed, I wasn't able to take Azula's bending away," Aang was trying his best to keep his cool, but Sokka knew how bad Aang had felt when he had to take someone's bending away - even if it's from the worst of people. Yes, there was a victory in what he's done, but ripping the bending ability from someone, something that they have lived their whole life with, was not wholly enjoyable.

Sokka won't definitely be happy if Aang suddenly decide to take all of his strength and will power away. It was all he had, if one to think about it.

Aang continued nevertheless, "Which lead me to investigate that something ... _triggered_ in Azula."

A gasp of confusion fly across the hall - both Zuko and Aang ignored it. It was Zuko who said the next line, "Azula is cursed." Another collection of gasps filled the hall, even one coming from Sokka himself. Katara looked on seriously - Sokka suspected she knew a little bit, if not more: he'd seen her joining Zuko in some 'private conversations' before. Sokka won't be surprised if Katara was involved. She was, after all, a Waterbending master - a praised healer.

Zuko would definitely seek her assistance, if he must.

Toph didn't even blink - well, she barely blink in the first place anyway - and continued to stare on in a phlegmatic manner. She was getting impatient, Sokka could tell. Zuko didn't even stutter, "It is confirmed that there is a big gap in Azula's strip of memory of her mind that left her ... _crippled_ mentally." Zuko slightly cringed at those words and Sokka noticed how Azula flinched helplessly from behind, her head hung lower if possible. "And that she is also bound with me."

"Zuko won't be able to go on with his daily routine as Firelord if Azula can't be away from him within three miles."

"What happened if Zuko's away? What'd happen to _her_?" Toph voiced out, no shame in her loud voice.

Aang didn't hesitate, sat up straighter. "Azula will suffer severe pain in her whole body, convulsing without a pause - it will eventually lead to death."

"What's wrong with that!" A voice shouts out from somewhere in the background, following with murmurs of agreement. Sokka sunk in deeper into his chair, trying to let these information settle in his brain. He looked up again to see Zuka clenches his fist and slam it on the desk, releasing a loud _thump_ and silencing the hall once again.

When the Prince looked up, it was a deadly stare. "I realised Azula has done many wrongs in her past, and most if it was unforgivable - despicable, really. I do not expect you to cherish her, or adore her. But at least have the decency to respect her. She is, after all, by the end of the day, still my sister."

There's a strange silent in the atmosphere that tugged on Sokka's skin. If Zuko noticed it, he hadn't exactly been showing it. "Avatar Aang and I will set on our journey sooner. We will do our best to figure out this problem, and be home shortly after for me to presume my title as the rightful Firelord, and for Avatar Aang to continue on with his duty. I apologise for the complications."

Sokka can't quite remember what happened after that - he knew the whole discussion then stirred to something about Zuko's plan to re-construct the whole Nation and giving everyone their proper jobs.

Times moved on pretty quickly after that: he watched as Appa flied off with Aang, Zuko and Azula on it - her face shielded by the then proper shoulder-lenght cut hair of hers. Katara went on to treat people in need, Toph took the lead to yell orders onto people's head while they build the ruined city again, Sokka waited around, helped wherever he was needed. A few months passed, Suki went back to Kiyoshi Island, and he finally made the decision to go back to the Southern Water Tribe.

Katara came back to the Southern Water Tribe a few months after the first celebration of Remembrance Day - the day dedicated to celebrate that the Nation have been released from Ozai's grasp - but she still moved around a lot, being called from all sort of places. Toph popped in here and there, but won't stay for long. She visited her parents, she told, made peace and moved on with her lives.

Before he knew it, Toph was opening up a Special Bending School.

Suki and him broke off after a while. He was really caught up with building the Southern Water Tribe again, now that some of the Northern Water Tribe's migrated to the South - he envisioned the place to be bigger, grander; to be what he saw it as, an honourable place, something to look upon. He helped his father around a lot too.

Things happen, people change, time passes.

And then, comes today.

Sokka watches as people run about, yelling about the preparations - are the food ready, where's the grilled fish, we don't have anymore chairs, can someone please clean this up - and kinda smiles to himself. He swirls the cactus juice in his hand for a second, before swallowing the content. A presence make its appearance by his side. "Katara," he decides to greet.

He haven't seen his sister at all today - while he still wakes up near noon, Katara would be up and going right after dawn.

Katara smiles at him, her strict features softens as her lips turn and her cheekbones rose. Her brown locks braided and styled just as ordinarily, but there's absolutely nothing ordinary about her anymore, Sokka amuses himself - nearing the age of nineteen and she's already hold the name of Master of Waterbending, Grand Healer.

What else is new?

"You shouldn't really be drinking that now, Sokka." Katara reminds him as he swallows another chug.

He chortles at that, and straighten his pose from the railing, "I'm twenty-one now, Katara. I'm pretty sure it's not anything illegal."

There's a sigh escaping from her lips, "_Almost_ twenty-one. Your birthday is in three weeks."

"You remember."

A pause, "I never forget."

Sokka and Katara stares up at the busy view once again, the silence seeping in and makes itself comfortable. It's been a while since he has any real conversation with Katara, now that he's recalling it back again. Never that easiness of just talking anymore. Katara is always venturing about her works, the cases that's loading her tables, just aching to be solved. And she's barely around - in fact, she's just back from a secluded island somewhere far off the map just three days ago.

There's always something. Sokka feels terrible that now adulthood is taking over their lives, but there's just something he cannot help sometimes. "When are they arriving exactly?"

"Sometime an hour from now." Katara answers curtly, sharp and to-the-point. Like a paperwork. Sokka snorts - she would know about that.

"And Toph?"

He could feel Katara nodding from his side, "I'll be greeting her soon. It's been a while since I last saw her."

"A year, Katara." Sokka corrects her, "_A while_ is an understatement."

Katara doesn't say anything back, so Sokka takes the chance to chug the cactus juice some more. The taste leaves a light effect, but it won't be enough to actually make him _drunk_. He's had enough of practise to master the art of keeping sober. "Will you be greeting Aang and Zuko too?"

A beat passes. Sokka turns to study his sister's face. She slightly frowns - only slightly. "Of course."

He honestly doesn't know what happened between Aang and Katara: but he knows that they are no longer in a relationship like they were before. They were civil, that's for sure - but lovey-dovey? Not so much. All that Sokka could gather is that there's an awkward stretch in their relationship now - Katara doesn't even send Aang much of a letter; she just goes ahead and insert "_I hope Aang is well_" whenever she writes a letter to Zuko these past years.

It's so weird.

"The gang will be staying with us." Katara adds - and Sokka raises his brows questionably at her. "The lodge is equipped for everyone's use. It will be warm enough for Zuko and of course, Azula - and well enough for Toph not to freeze her feet the second she's out of her shoes." There's a smile as Katara says the last sentences, and Sokka can't help but to follow her reaction as well.

"Yeah, sure." He nods - the lodge is one of the luxuries Dad and Sokka manages to build, exactly for an occasion like this. The material has been suitable for the South Pole's extreme weather, and it is complete with every necessities for someone who isn't trained to live in a regular igloo.

"I'll be staying with Dad. But you have to stay at the lodge, just so Azula won't burn it down to crisp or have Toph tear it apart." Katara pauses, then adds, "And entertain both Zuko and Aang."

Sokka snorts. "That's a lot of work."

"I'll be around, no worries. There's still some progress I need details on about Azula's case." Katara sighs, clenches her fingers that are under the warmth of her gloves. "Things won't go on smoothly if Zuko can't continue on his work as the Firelord. He isn't supposed to be dragging Azula everywhere he goes. That's not normal."

"They haven't solved this case at all?"

At age nineteen, Sokka can already see the faint wrinkle appearing on Katara's forehead as she shakes her head in denial. "Far from it, as a matter of fact." Then, she grits her teeth. "What a waste of three years."

"I'm sure there is something more to it," He dumbly suggests, not knowing really what to respond with.

"Zuko said something in his letter. But nothing major." Katara turns her back against the view, now tilting her head back and let her braids fall over the railing helplessly. She exhales, "Azula is still cursed."

Sokka chugs the last drop of the cactus juice, letting his sister's last sentence echoes in his head dully: _Azula is still cursed_.

* * *

For whatever unusual reason, Toph is late.

Katara goes on marching to whoever's in charge of making sure the guests arrive in time to ask _why exactly is this happening_. As far as guesses can go, Sokka's bet that Toph wrestles these guards and she's having second-thought about coming to the South Pole. She really hates it when she has to wear shoe - and in the Poles, you must absolutely wear shoes - because then, she would be completely blind.

He lets his sister be as she thumps her foot and demands a reasonable answer to ease her already-headached mind; Sokka just looks up ahead as the ships stops at the shore, some of his men welcome the guests like how Sokka seen them practise a few weeks ago.

Man, Rani (a strict woman who's been working alongside Sokka for the last two years) really trained them well. Wouldn't want to embarrass the Southern Water Tribes, huh?

After all, it is not always that the Southern Tribe hosts big events like these.

Sokka huffs out the cold air and averts his eyes at the ships, before he notices something faint in the background of the sky. He squints his eyes really, really hard, focusing at that particular spot - before the shapes take place, and his eyes bulge out of their socket. He chocks at first, "Kat- Katara!" He yells, now running forward towards the shape - as if he could chase after it.

There's a smile on his face now - so big, it aches his cheekbones. All of a sudden, he feels like a child again - eager and impulsive and careless. The persona of a cool-but-serious warrior he's tried so hard to achieve fades away like paints on walls. Somehow - _somehow_ - it doesn't matter now. Because he recognise that shape.

"Appa!" he screams, excited and overwhelmed. The flying bison is slowly coming down now, the shape and its colour looks alive and clear, and right in front of his eyes. "Appa! Aang! Zuko!"

The flying bison makes a show, flies in circles before landing a few feet away from where Sokka is. He runs, and almost immediately too, a young, much taller, bald man jumps from the flying bison, his face excited, "Sokka!"

Spirits, three years seem like an eternity ago!

He hugs the young Avatar as if he's been back from the land of Death, before he pulls away only to hug him again. "You grew, man! You're reaching my height now!"

"Yeah," Aang rubs the back of his neck bashfully. "Puberty... contributes to a _lot_ of changes."

"Huh." Sokka grins, now eyeing Zuko who's sliding off from Appa right behind Aang. "I'm sure Zuko has lots of fun explaining the whole how-a-boy-becomes-a-man story to you. How did it went? Are you scarred for life yet?"

Zuko makes a snorting noise at the back of his throat, "I wouldn't indulge myself in that situation even if you beg me with the whole honour of the world."

Aang looks even more bashful. Sokka just laughs aloud. Zuko smirks. "I miss you, man." Sokka goes in to man-hug Zuko, who returns the hug after a second. When they pull apart, Katara is already standing a few feet away, two pair of thick clothing in her arms.

"Welcome home, guys." She smiles, now taking a step closer. "These are your clothes. Tawo and Koda here will lead you to change your wardrobe."

Behind, Sokka spots Azula sliding off from the flying bison - her hands not slipping away from gripping Appa's fur. Her eyes are somewhere else, and her lips trembling in the cold weather. She looks less distraught than he remembers, but still crazy. _Definitely crazy_.

"DO NOT TOUCH ME AGAIN OR I'LL METAL-BEND STRAIGHT FAR UP YOUR BUTT SO HIGH, YOU'RE GONNA FEEL IT ON YOUR THROAT BUDDY!" A familiar shriek explodes and all of them turn their attention away. Sokka almost shakes his head in disbelief - _of course_ she's making a grand entrance.

Aang smiles softly, his eyes blinking at the scene. "Don't worry. I'll fetch her up."

With that, Aang uses his air-bend and goes over to where Toph is, still wresting away with the guards that were assigned to make sure Toph arrives safely and unharmed. Sokka just hopes _they're_ safe and unharmed instead. As usual, Toph won't be noticing Aang's presence as he descends himself slowly on the ship, just a few feet away from her. He takes a step closer, before grasping Toph fully in his grasp.

The petite girl trashes for a while, until Aang says something. Then, she screams, "TWINKLETOES! YOU'RE BACK! YOU'RE BACK! I NEVER THOUGHT I'D BE SUPER GLAD TO SEE YOU BUT YOU'RE BACK! PLEASE CARRY ME BACK TO MY SCHOOL I DON'T WANT TO WEAR SHOES! IT'S SO FRICKIN' COLD HERE!"

Sokka snickers and turns to look back at Katara, but what he sees instead is Zuko, now whispering out to Azula, who won't let go of Appa, although she's trembling like mad. She looks like a living mess - her dark hair wild, tangled and her eyes are wide and full in rage, her teeth gritted and her lips chapped. Sokka sighs.

He takes a thick-fur coat from Katara and walks toward the siblings, quickly shoving it in between Zuko and his wicked sister. "Here."

Zuko blinks, while Azula turns away, sneering under her breath.

Sokka sighs, and tries again, nudging it more towards the jacked-up Princess. "Take it. You're gonna die because of the cold if you won't." She doesn't respond and Sokka frowns deepen, "Hey, I'm trying to help here."

"I never asked for your help." She finally replies, the venom in her mouth is as thick as the snow lying under their feet.

"Yeah well, but I can't let anyone die today 'cause, you know, we have a big event this evening and all. Wouldn't want to spoil the Southern Water Tribe's reputation, 'cause that would totally suck." Sokka replies nonchalantly, shrugging a shoulder.

Azula sneers more, not quite meeting his eyes. She's just glaring at Appa's fur, for no apparent reason. Crazy _and_ blind. Great. "I don't accept anything from a water-tribe peasant."

Zuko sighs in aggravation, "Azula. Sokka's just trying to be helpful."

"I told you, you stupid oaf, I don't need _anyone's_ _help_." She says the last word in extra venom. Sokka shots a look towards Zuko's way, pitying the Prince. It's a wonder at all that he still has hair.

Sokka rolls his eyes, and drapes the fur coat over her head, watching as the large material falls on her shoulders and envelops her now-shrinking being. Azula seems to be hanging her head lower, her hair's falling to mask her expression. Sokka leans in with a smirk, "I'm serving your dinner tonight. Be nice, or I'll spit in your food."

Katara, who's now handing a coat to Zuko, musters out in a motherly-fashion. "Sokka, stop that. "

Sokka sticks his tongue out, and walks over to Aang and Toph.

* * *

The first meeting goes on smoothly - everyone celebrates the return of the Fire Prince and the Avatar greatly, confetti's falling, fireworks bursting. Sokka has an idea how the teenagers in charge of those fireworks are having much, much fun - because the amount of fireworks are more than they agree upon. Sokka makes it a note in his head to have a 'talk' with them.

Iroh sits next to Zuko at the long table - his pleasing smile opposes with Zuko's harsh expression. But the softness of his eyes shows Sokka how Zuko's glad to be home, to see his Uncle again. Azula, however, just sits next to Zuko and, in Sokka's opinion, killing everybody in her mind. She barely even touch her food.

Maybe she's taken him seriously about the whole spitting-in-her-food thing.

Huh.

Zuko later on announces about the agreement he has with his Uncle, that the (re-)crowning ceremony will be held on three weeks now, at the Southern Water Tribe again, and how happy he is with the astounding progress of the Nation during his absent. Sokka's got to give it to Iroh - he isn't that bad at all at being a Firelord.

But the old man loves his tea better, that's for sure.

Soon, Zuko and Iroh retires for the evening. Slowly, one by one of the noblemen retire. Katara comes to Sokka, nodding her head as a "sign" that it's probably time for him to retire to the lodge as well, checking up on Zuko and Azula. Aang gingerly follows behind with Toph in his arms (apparently now that she's been carried, she won't walk). They have a little chat while they walk, catching up to what they can.

Toph says that her bending school is going on well, but now she's thinking of building a police army. She's got to talk to Zuko once he's Firelord again, she adds.

Aang seems happy enough with how far his friends have accomplished while he's away - he's thinking about just resting at a place for a while, getting rid of his jet-leg before he's moving again. Toph insists he visits her school, and Aang reluctantly agrees. He then sheepishly adds that maybe he'll try to have a talk with Katara again, see what's happening between them.

Sokka and Toph don't comment on anything.

On the way, they meet with the teenagers in charge of the fireworks, Nara and his friends. They smile innocently when Sokka confronts them. "For that, you'll get less than what we agree on."

"What!" Nara exclaims, shocked. "You can't do that, Mr Sokka!"

"I can, and I will." Sokka sternly says, crossing his arms over his chest. "You violated our agreement, Nara."

"Oh man, that was Michio's idea, Mr Sokka! I didn't even know about the fireworks until they start lighting it up!"

"Well then, he's your responsibility isn't he? Making it your fault as well. You should know better."

"That's so unfair."

"That's called life."

Nara pouts some more, but walks away nonetheless. Aang mentions how maybe Sokka's being tough on the boy, but Sokka retorts that fireworks are not something to be playing about. There was once where they had a case when a kid lost three of his fingers because he's trying to make his own firework and it exploded in his hand instead. Aang looks depressed hearing that story and quietens up, Toph yells on how the boy deserves it.

They gets to the lodge in time. Toph takes off her shoes immediately, sighing out as the warmth of the lodge takes over her. "Nice place you got here, Snoozles."

"Yeah. It was Dad's idea, though he just planned for a small one though. I constructed it to be bigger."

On a couch in front of the fire, Zuko sits with a book in his hand. He looks up, and greets them. "Azula takes the furthest room in the back. Mine is next to hers."

"Okay." Aang nods his head. He observes the stairs. "I guess I'll check the room upstairs."

"I'll stay on this floor, thank you very much." Toph moves over to try and detect the movements. She mentioned once how she'll try to widen her vision so she could at least see something, rather than nothing at all - through her feet, of course. She points to a door, "That room isn't occupied, right?"

Zuko shakes his head, "Not that I know of."

"Then that's my room, goons!" She laughs, now reaching up to the door.

Sokka looks around, and sighs out. He smiles at Aang, "I guess I'm joining you upstairs, buddy."

"That sounds so wrong, Snoozles!"

"I didn't mean it like that!"

Zuko raises his brows. Aang looks ashamed.

"I don't mean it like that!" Sokka shrieks again.

Toph laughs louder.

* * *

**Author's Note: I miss the old gaang. I really do. Here you go. My first try at this pairing. They've been my guilty pleasure for a while, I must admit (sigh rather dramatically). I swear this is going to lead to somewhere! Please bare with me. **

**I must note that this story has a touch of mental illness and cursed words. Maybe more, I'm not sure. We'll see. Anywaayyy, thanks for the read!**


	2. Chapter 1

**The Taste of Metallic and Burn**

**Sokka never imagines himself as one to be as comfortable to accept the fact he's living with Zuko and his psychopath sister, but he's tolerating it. Until burned corpses marked for Azula starts appearing up on the front door like presents. Something is up, and Sokka might get more than what he bargains for.**

**One**.

_I'm a dead man walking here_  
_But that's the least of all my fears_...

The sun isn't beaming on his skin yet and he's already blinking up at the ceiling rather helplessly, letting his sleeping limbs slowly rose to a full wake. Sokka groans at an attempt to curse his brain for setting in an auto-mode so that he'd get up earlier than he used to - knowing now that he has guests to comply with.

He rolls over his bed and tries to get his whole body to function and be fully alert as his mind is, although he knows deep inside how his soul is just worn-out from the event that occurred two in the morning just a few hours before. He remembers that pitch of a scream as it struck the cold night air, straight into his eardrum.

He had grunted, brushed it off as another creepy nightmare, but later on was interrupted again by another sharp yelling, followed with sets of hysterical sobbing. He remembers sighing out, knowing full well who it was, swung his legs to let the soles of his feet touch the floor and began walking himself downstairs, where the source of the screaming and wailing started.

At the bottom of the stairs, he had already confirmed his suspicion: it was coming from Azula, as her door room was open - but Sokka had only seen the door, the whole scene inside was shielded from view. He knew though that Zuko was in there, trying to calm his sister down with hushed whisper, only to have it fell on deaf ears.

Aang was staggering outside, hands rubbing his cheeks in a worried manner. He remembers the expression that's beating across the young Avatar's face while Azula wailed some more, drowning in her delusional-state of dream, before he realised Sokka had come down to check what was happening. He didn't elaborate much, "We thought she wouldn't have these night terrors anymore. We thought she'd already stop. She- she stopped - a couple months back. We wouldn't, we wouldn't - "

Aang then seemingly gave up, sighing out frustratedly. Sokka yawned and leaned himself against the wall. Azula screamed again from inside the room helplessly.

The clock ticked away. Sokka then dropped his chin towards Aang, who was crouching with his elbows on his knees, and his fingers clasped on his bald head. He called for the younger man. "Check on Toph, will you? Wouldn't want another one of us to get a nightmare."

Aang nodded, stood and disappeared in the darkness. Sokka sighed again, his own words bounced in his skull, thinking: _with these rate, it's a miracle any of us could go back to sleep without having infected by Azula's taunting nightmare_.

As expected, Aang came back to report that Toph wasn't even flinching in her sleep. There isn't much of a surprise in that statement, "That's Toph for you." Sokka had mention in dry humour, "She sleeps like the dead."

There's an empty chuckle that escaped from Aang which easily told Sokka off how none of them were really up to any joke, not as Azula struck the whole building again with her screaming. It wasn't loud, but Sokka heard Zuko's voice, almost drowning if to match with his sister's sobbing. "It's okay, Azula. It's just a nightmare. Please wake up. You're safe. No one's going to hurt you."

Sokka wondered how far the truth ran along those lines in the dim lightness.

He can't recall much of anything after that - Azula managed to calm down after an hour, but Sokka knew he was already in his bed way before that. He remembers telling himself that he's too sleepy to keep up with these drama. And now here he is.

He muffles something against the mattress, before pushing himself off and jumping from the bed.

Sokka glances out at the scenery outside his window - well, it isn't much of a scenery when it's all covered in frost and ice, but the snow looks white and the sky is blue-er than usual, if that's even possible. Sokka wouldn't let anything that happened yesterday spoiled his mood - he's going to enjoy this weather and having his friends back again after three years of travel (he tries his best not to mention how those travel and years seem to fly off in a waste now that they're back as empty-handed as they were before).

After dressing himself appropriately, Sokka walks downstairs and enjoy a nice cocoa, also snooping around to see if anybody's awake. He doesn't even bother himself with snooping into Azula's room - he doesn't want to lose his head yet, people. Oh yes, he knows about Azula's supposedly 'disability', but she's a vicious woman; that's just something someone can't just wash off easily, even after spending the last three years in the company of Aang and Zuko.

Or maybe she's changed (even though from yesterday's arrival to the dinner, she didn't show any sign of 'changing' whatsoever), who knows - but Sokka still isn't risking anything.

Next to Toph of course, Zuko sleeps like the dead too once he's knocked out. In fact, more deadly if he isn't well rested. There was once when Aang tried to wake him up with a supposed 'prank' which ended up wrong with Zuko blasting fire everywhere, under the illusion (and drowsiness) that he's attacked. Aang was quick on his feet and used his airbending to save his feet from being engulfed by the fire.

It was a lesson for everyone then.

Sokka doesn't have the heart to wake Aang up, although he knows the young man wouldn't reject him if he asks him to join along for a tour, or just a walk around the Southern Water Tribe - but the look of contentment on Aang's face as he snuggles up in blanket and practically the whole damn mattress makes Sokka retreats his steps back. He could imagine how long Aang is from resting on a proper bed. The young Avatar needs it.

He isn't even going to _try_ with Toph: that girl lives with her own principle attach to her whole being. She'll do whatever she wants, however she wants it. Including her waking hour, or sleeping time.

When Sokka's cleaning up his hot cocoa drink from his mug, he hears shuffling coming from the closed door - the room that belongs to Azula. Sokka stops, putting away the clean mug. He walks slowly towards the door.

"Um, hello?" He tries, "I hope you aren't dead in there."

Some more shuffling, before it comes to a stop. Sokka waits. "Well then, I suppose the Mad Princess wouldn't want to go for a walk with me?" He closes his eyes and hopes for a snarl of refusal - he hadn't really meant it when he asked her. He's just being polite!

But there isn't more shuffling from the other side of the door and Sokka grows tired of waiting. He shrugs on his thick coat, adjusting anything that's necessary and leads himself out the door, where a guard stands. Sokka knows this man. He's about two, three years older than Sokka - used to be a childhood friend back before he embarked on a journey with a twelve-years-old Avatar and his sister.

The man didn't immediately recognised him. "Tarro!" Sokka grinned, "Didn't expect they put you on guard duty."

Tarro chortled as they exchanged hugs. Sokka tries to remember when's the last time he's worked with Tarro now. If he isn't wrong, Tarro's older brother was married not more than a month ago. Yeah. That was perhaps the last time he'd worked on something with Tarro. He is really a good, honourable man. Tolerating and patient. And he can honestly understand Sokka's plan (of anything!) better than anyone.

"Oh man, you should have seen where Payo was stationed at. He's got to deal with entertaining the Noblemen's wives." Tarro replies with a sly smirk, of which Sokka gingerly copies.

"All of them?"

Tarro barks out laughing - nodding his head after a while, "What a day to be alive!"

Sokka chuckles, imagining another friend of theirs, now trying to keep up with all the Noblemen's wives' wishes. Oh, to be a fly on _that_ wall. Tarro then glances inside, as if he could get a definite view of the lodge now with all the guests roaming about, raising a brow. "Your roommate's okay?"

Somehow, Sokka has a hunch that he isn't talking about Aang, or Zuko, or Toph. So he responds with, "It's not so bad. She's okay."

"Did she try to eat you in your sleep?"

"She's a cold-blooded killer, alright." Sokka states, "But I'm pretty sure she's nothing sorts of cannibalism."

Tarro grimaces, still isn't satisfied with the fact Sokka isn't bothered as he is. If he's being absolutely honest, Azula isn't so bad now that you view her again after her great fall since the war. She hadn't been attacking anybody, or murdering children anymore - she's nearly harmless. Sokka can tolerate this.

He knows a lot of people couldn't. Just the general idea that Princess Azula is still well enough, not in chained or behind bars, locked-up in some mental infirmary or waiting for her death sentence, can give a crawl to one's skin. Tarro, however nice and kind he is, is apart of these people. The haunt of the terror the Fallen Princess once caused still played across his eyes, almost challenging the beast that live within his core to burst out and unleash hell.

It's a good thing Zuko vowed to protect his sister however he could (despite the fact the girl's a raging lunatic) - if he hadn't, who knows how Azula might have ended up right now?

"I'm still here because of the orders, Sokka. If the orders aren't keeping me hold - " Tarro makes a hissing noise, closing his eyes. "A knife through the brain, I swear to you. A knife through the brain."

Sokka wants to say, _nice imagination you got there buddy_ but instead swallows it up and pats Tarro's shoulder in a pitiful kind of way. There's just something sad about someone who has the idea of killing another human, in Sokka's opinion. Tarro then lets himself slip a little smile, looking down almost in shame. But he quickly covers it up by saying that Hakoda wishes to meet Sokka in the Main Building as soon as he's up.

Sokka thanks him and skids around the snow for a while. He ought to waste sometime before he has to do any labor jobs - and Dad wouldn't be expecting his bachelor son to join him so early in the morning, anyway.

This evening, the Southern Water Tribe will continue on with events - an evening tea (that's just for Firelord Iroh, the Councilmen and Prince Zuko), followed with a customary dinner, where local people could join in if they wish. The first night had gone well, Sokka hopes the second won't be a disaster.

He jogs up to the familiar cliff, the snow catching in the thick fur of his show. He merely brushes it off and continues on - remembering exactly the first time he finds himself here: the image of his mother pulling a five-years old him up, laughing when he failed to jump in time and stumbled instead. Kya helped him get up, brushing the snow off of his pants and grinning up at him.

He grinned back, gloved-fingers gingerly plant itself across Kya's face. The older woman smiled warmly, before giving light kisses on the tip of his fingers.

Sokka grins now, jumping up at the edge of the cliff, looking over the horizon - it's one of the place that no one really bother coming to. Which make sense because the cliff is rather dangerous: the extreme climates can easily swipe anyone away if not careful, the ground itself is not solidly stable. Sokka barely comes here too, but when he does...

Oh, when he does come - it's as if the world were never tampered with in the first place. Everything is at its ease. The line when the sky meets the sea is - is - is _breathtaking_. On that moment, the pain he suffers throughout the battles he's been into, or the pain of others that somehow mingled with his, seems worth to bare.

And it doesn't hurt that the place reminds him of his mother.

It's a nostalgic feeling, really. Sorta pathetic, in all honesty.

Sokka sits there for half an hour, just sitting there you know. The wind is nice today, on his face, and the sea is calm in front of him. The icebergs looks like a paint coming to life, framing the whole scenery. He brushes his gloved-hands over the snow, remembering the presence of his mother by his side.

It's good. Such good moments.

The rest of the day goes on smoothly. Sokka meets up with Dad and they begins to re-arrange the whole building again for the Evening Tea. Sokka gets away by just splitting everybody (who volunteered) each a job, mostly to guard and to make sure the Noblemen gets on safely. Dad has to deal with the decorations and _what he thinks about this colour for the napkins._

Dad can't kick his ass when Sokka makes fun of him.

By the time it's near the evening time, Sokka's back to the lodge to change his clothes. He's got to look more ... _dashing_. The guard that stands outside isn't Tarro this time, but Sokka knows him too and greet him, although more formally. Inside, he passes a room - and stops half-way through.

He recognises the voice floating from the other side of the room.

"... medical progress is very frustrating. I'm disappointed ... she's still tied... what happens if you have to go..."

"... it seems hopeless. I apologise... I understand how difficult... but she's my sister..."

"... three years is a long period of... I guess I could at least try... not guaranteed... I know that she's your..."

"... We seek so many help... Aang reaches the Spirits... at least we know she isn't lying..."

A sigh.

"I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you... have no idea... appreciate your..."

"...thank me yet..."

By that point of conversation, Sokka's already sprinting to his room: somehow, his heart is drumming more than it should and there's an alarm beeping loudly in his head. It's not everyday you have the opportunity to eavesdrop on the most private conversations ever between The Grand Healer and The Fire Prince. Sure, Sokka only gets fragments of the conversation, but it doesn't exactly take a genius to know what they're talking about.

His mind wanders to the topic of their discussion, and there's a wrinkle in the whole perfect lay-out:_ what exactly happened to Azula?_

He gets the whole something's being messed-up in her head thing - but Sokka never really did fully understand the predicament over her state of being. He knows she'll be in pain if Zuko and her are separated in a certain distance, so much in pain that she may face death. But he doesn't get - he doesn't get how Azula (remember her? Crazy, serial-killer on the loose at early age of fifteen?) can get _so weak_, almost a ... shadow of a human she used to be.

How can a strong individual become so... _broken_?

Sokka decides not to trouble himself with those thoughts - and just as if cue, a few knocks thud against his door. Katara, who's on the other side of the door, clears her throat. "Sokka?"

He swallows, rubbing one side of his cheek. He decides not to let her in unless Katara requests so. "Yeah?"

Katara sighs in relief, he could sense, and she continues. "Zuko is ready for dress. Perhaps Azula is too. I'm sending a help to her right now." She pauses momentarily, "If it's not any trouble, would you escort both of them to the Main Building preferably ten minutes before Evening Tea begins?"

Sokka takes a moment to answer, weighing his options out. "Um, sure. Yeah. I can do that."

"Good." His little sister seems satisfied, but there's also a hesitant pause in her voice that suggests she might want to say more. If it's anything important, she doesn't say it. Instead, she goes with, "I'll see you then."

"See you."

He hears the footsteps of his sister slowly fades into silence, and Sokka lets out a breath he doesn't know he has been holding. He lets out a deep exhale of air before lying on his bed, his back pressing against the soft mattress.

_Things are getting weird_, an odd chill runs across his spine and Sokka shivers, shoving that thought far back in his mind.

Things are going to be okay, he convinces himself, determined.

Things are going to be okay.

* * *

Sokka wakes up at two in the morning with no absolute reason whatsoever.

He glares at the ceiling, as if the solid matter could provide him an answer to settle his rattled mind. He hates when he wakes up in the middle of the night and can't fall back to sleep. It sucks. He rolls over to his side, trying to arrange his breath so it could work properly and send a signal to his brain that he's ready for another sleep. It's safe to assume that attempt fails almost immediately as it begun. He sighs again, muffling something onto the mattress before he swings his legs over the bed.

He ruffles his hair angrily (mostly to himself) and grabs the rubber-band nearby. He ties it in a hurried gesture, stands up, taking slow but large strides towards the door.

He takes a moment to admire the brilliant full moon, a dark shapes of cat-foxes howling outside, on cliffs, between trees - the sound of its howling comes settling in between the silence of the darkness looming inside of the lodge. Sokka grunts as he kicks up invisible dirt on the floor, making his way downstairs, grunting, "Seriously? Howling? How more cliché can it get?"

Nobody answers him.

Sokka grunts some more.

Half-way down the stairs, his eyes open as it notices the dim light from the open kitchen illuminating almost the entire lodge. Stepping on the ground-level, he finally sees the silhouette sitting rigidly by the counter of the kitchen, her face empty and bored as she stares out the window, a thick blanket wrap over her whole body. He stops, considers for a while, before he decides _what the heck_ and moves over to make his infamous hot cocoa.

Azula doesn't even budge.

He works efficiently to finish up his hot cocoa - fills the mug with boiled water, mixes it with coco powder, adds some sugary goodness - and, "Behold, the magic essence of my creation - Hot Cocoa!" Sokka smiles to the cup, taking its scent as he settles himself across from the Fire Princess who never once stop to gaze at him at the counter.

Because it's 2 AM, and very, very much awkward, Sokka tries to crack up the stinging atmosphere and breaking it with, "Throwing a pity party for yourself and you don't even invite me." He kinds of pouts, sipping on his cocoa drink. "And here I thought we were friends."

Azula finally takes the action to spare him a look, may it be as deadly as the blizzard they have in middle-Winter last year. Sokka expects a sneering comment about _how she isn't friend with a water-tribe peasant_, but she surprises him with a simple sneer, "Yet here you are."

"My friend named Insomnia decides to drop in just now and I can't seem to bug him off," Sokka explains, letting the coco flavour swirls inside of his mouth, enriching him and his whole night. It even makes the idea of having an awkward conversation with Azula seems sorta appealing. Sokka shakes his head slightly, pretending to be annoyed, "Pesky little thing, he is."

Azula seems to be eyeing him from head to toe, "Indeed he is." She pauses for a long time before adding, more snarling than anything, "And _this_ seem to be the cure?"

He ignores her earlier comment and concentrates instead on what she's referring to in her last question: the mug in his hand. Sokka raises the drink slightly towards her, half-grinning as he topples it back and let the drink flows down his throat. "Yes. Who knew medicine could taste so good, huh? Definitely not me." He licks his lips dry, and watches her. "I'm done sharing my side of the story - so what's keeping you up and canoodling here with yourself?"

"Canoodling?"

"You know, _canoodling_." He scrunches up his nose, trying to form the words to spell it out. "It's when you kiss and cuddle up with somebody and - "

She holds her hand up, stopping him. "I know what it is."

"Then why did you ask?"

"It was an odd use of the word."

"It's called living in Sokka's vast amount of vocabularies. Don't worry. You'll get used to it." He takes another sip. "So, why're you're here staring so strangely outside at practically nothing, at like, two in the morning? Must have a legitimate reason."

Azula returns her gaze back at the window, but the venom in her voice doesn't go away. "Hn, and what makes you think I'm... _sharing_ my reasons with you?"

Sokka makes the pretence of looking around, "I don't see anyone here, or maybe I should wake your _stupid oaf_ of a brother, Zuko..."

"No!" Azula looks shock, the blanket wrapping around her body falls slightly from her shoulders. Sokka raises his brows at her - watching as she tries to regain her composure. She sits back down properly, looking down, "I mean... don't."

"Hah!" Sokka makes a 'psyche' face at her, shaking his head straightly afterwards. "No way am I ever going to wake Zuko up, ever. He gets extra paranoid when he's all asleep. He's almost as insane as you are when he's at that level."

Sokka stops in his movement, watching as a slight dark atmosphere begins to vibrate from Azula's being when he realises what he just said. But she doesn't lash out, just inhales very deeply, her eyelids fluttering close. It's obvious she's been wrestling with her temper, among other things. "He's a tool. Much like you." She flutters her eyes back open, and there's a glint of ultimate wickedness glimmering that sends shiver down Sokka's blood.

_Apply more Hot Cocoa_. "Like a bug. Deserved to be squashed flat."

"Nuh-uh," Sokka quickly declines. "I've squashed bugs before. You definitely wouldn't want to do it with those socks," he now leans down to look at the piece of cloth wrapping Azula's feet. "They're messy and they make these noises as they're squished between your skin and the concrete matter, and they stick very badly... It's all _ugh_. Traumatic experience, I assure you."

Azula doesn't respond, just keeps staring down ahead out the window. Sokka watches her.

Besides from a faint scar from her ear to her jaw, the sunken cheeks and the dark circles under her eyes, Sokka remembers this girl from years ago - comparing it to now. She's really ... pretty, in a sense. Sokka squirms (ew!) but it's kinda true - she's not all bad. Pale cheeks, raven hair, bright, golden eyes in just the right angle. She looks sorta ordinary now, but only sort of. Her hair's tied up completely behind, with a few strands falling lifelessly by her petite porcelain face. She's in a two-layer clothing; the first being a red-shirt, the second being a big coat (blue coloured - shocker!) before the blanket draping over those layers.

If she isn't all wrong in the head (or the fact she's Zuko's sister), Sokka would (honestly) have considered asking her out.

Hurm. Weird. _More Hot Cocoa_.

"Paint a picture. It'll last longer." Azula sneers without looking at him, making Sokka squirming more in his seat, knowing she'd caught him staring _oh-so-obviously_ at her.

Sokka tries to shake any new (strange) feelings off as her eyes are now burning holes through his head, and masks it with, "Trust me, you wouldn't want that. I've tried picking up drawing as a hobby before - didn't exactly turn out to be a masterpiece. Your brother looked like a lump of potato with a dislocated left eye."

There's a small tug on the Fire Princess' lips - somewhat resembling a smile. "Sounds pretty accurate."

"Tell it to Zuko. He burned it the second he got his hands on it. I've got to say that I didn't exactly draw him well enough that he had to turn it to ashes in front of my own eyes, but I'm pretty sure I drew Aang spot-on!" Sokka sighs dramatically, letting his chin dropping onto the base of his palm - his elbow resting neatly against the surface of the smooth counter. "Now we'll never know."

"And perhaps it is for the greater good." Azula says back and Sokka squints his eyes up at the young woman across from him.

"You sound like Iroh."

Azula hisses. "That is an insult. I do not sound like my foolish Uncle, or ever hope to."

"Well then, cut off with the metaphor and stuff, and leave it to the old man - or Zuko. I think he's been effected with Iroh more than he's willing to admit." Sokka points to Zuko's door, "Stick with being, you know, the Manic Panic, bucko-combination."

Azula taps her fingernails against the counter, a low sneer comes from her lips - clearly not appreciating the nickname.

"You should take up a hobby. Clearly you're bored." Sokka urges bravely, as he nudges her with his elbow, risking his hand in the process. Or the whole package of his neck.

Azula seems to be shrinking from the contact, but not as badly as she would normally would, Sokka notices. She just merely keeps her distant and grits her teeth, before releasing a collection of air through her nostrils. "What pathetic little activity do you suggest I do with my free time?"

"I don't know. How about shōgi, or Xiàngqí_?_"

"You're suggesting I should take up strategy board games with annoying little pieces with the pretence of a real warfare?"

"Ah. You've heard about the game." Sokka processes the information swiftly - the games were rather popular in Earth Kingdom (even originated from there, as a matter of fact) and Sokka sometimes playing with it idly, usually to pass time. "Maybe you're right. From where I could see it, you're more of an attack-and-butcher-people kind of person, rather than the strategic-inclined one. Maybe we should work on expanding your interest instead! Instead, you know, plotting a murder or blow up a city - maybe you'd find more interest in... I don't know, _cooking_?"

Azula is quiet for a moment. "No."

"That hurts." Sokka shrugs her off, "One day, soon. There must be something you're interested in, I'm sure. Besides, you know, from the usual - "

"Plotting a murder or blowing up a city?"

Sokka squints his eyes at the Fire Princess. "Yes," he decides to answer, studying her reaction.

Azula seems to be smirking - or maybe performing a shadow of it - but anyway, there's an action going on with her thin, chapped lips. She shrugs her shoulders, "Perhaps." Of course after living practically your whole life invested in ruling the whole human population, Sokka guesses she needs a time to think what else she could do once her first occupation have been crossed off.

"Is it good?" She suddenly speaks up after a few beats past in silence. Sokka follows her line of sight - finding it resting on the quarter-filled hot cocoa mug that is between his hands.

"The Hot Cocoa? Yeah, it's good. It's going to be the best thing you've ever tasted." Sokka pushes the mug slightly towards her, a small victory grin reign on his face. "Give it a try."

Azula curls her lips in disgust.

"Oh come on, you know I haven't poisoned it!" He pushes the mug to her again, "Try it. Just once."

Azula hesitates, but soon Sokka can see the light of determination in her gesture as she quickly wraps her slender fingers around the mug, a silent sigh escapes from her as the warmth heat up her fingers. She takes it closer to herself, smelling it first before gingerly giving it a taste. Sokka watches on eagerly - it's like a documentary of a new species being recorded after the species tried something new to eat.

He quietly snickers to himself at that image.

Azula purses her lips and puts the mug back on the counter. Sokka eyes her. "So, how is it? Fantastic, right? Soothe right through your soul."

She's just staring at the mug, still pursing her lips. He starts to frown. "Oh, it's not that bad!"

"It's fine. It's delicious." Azula suddenly flops down her stool, wraps the blanket closer to her body. Her head casting down and there's no audible sneer as she speaks. Sokka suddenly looks on worriedly. Then, she actually looks him in the eyes - just for a brief second - before she looks away. "But clearly you are wrong if you haven't tasted the Fire Sashimi Petals."

"What's that?" Sokka asks - one part challenged that there is another dish-or-drink that comes close to his hot cocoa, but another part mostly curious.

Azula kind of smirks more, "A pity. It seems that you are either an under-educated child, or have been to the wrong places."

"Are you actually going to tell me what the heck is that thing?"

She turns, her back to him now. "I'll be retiring now." And suddenly there's a snap of fingers, and Sokka's eyes went wide as he realises the napkin that's sitting nearby has been caught on fire - the fire is small and probably not going to burn the lodge down, but it's still a fire - a red flaming little creature, with sprinkles of blue at the bottom.

It's a rare sight, Sokka's got to admit - but he's more towards 'oh Spirits something is on fire! Put it out put it out out it out!' rather than 'damn, that's a beautiful fire'. "Ugh. I'm not responsible for this mishap! Damn it, I can't even bend for Spirit's sake!" but seemingly as Azula won't be turning back to put out the fire herself, Sokka takes the initiative to throw it quickly on the sink, letting the cold water washes the piece of clothing and extinguish the flame.

Sokka frowns, looking as her silhouette slips into the comfort of her room. He realises then that although Zuko and Aang had pointed before that Azula is unable to cause any major harm now, but it doesn't mean that stops her from initiating her bending ability. Man, she must have a thrill in watching him panic over the sudden fire.

"Next time I serve your dinner, I'll make sure they put polar-bear-dogs food in your meal!" He shouts in the echoed-hallway, grunting as the only reply he gets is the dripping water from the sink, and the sound of his own voice.

* * *

Sokka wakes up again the next morning a little earlier than he intends to. But instead of wasting time groaning, he rolls over and decides to start the day fresh. He notices that he's even earlier than yesterday. He wonders if Tarro is still guarding today, taking the early shift. But by the looks of it, it's still dark-out, a little too early for a guard to come in for their shift.

Nevertheless, Sokka stumbles himself downstairs, straight to the kitchen to serve himself a hot, fresh hot cocoa.

He pretends he isn't pondering about last night's incident while he makes himself busy in the kitchen. Soon, the scent of the coco fills the air - and Sokka smiles largely. He's certain no one's going to ruin today for him.

As far as he knows, today serves no special occasion. The Prince will be having dinner secludedly in the lodge, with perhaps his friends if he wants to (and of course he wants to). Iroh will certainly want to join in. Sokka hatches a plan to send an escort to inform the older man, that is, after he asks Zuko first, making sure he's comfortable with the idea.

Sokka decides once again on visiting the cliff, just to kill off some time before he'll set to do whatever it is that needs to be doing.

He gathers another layer of coat and makes sure he's well-clothed. Sokka skids across the floor to the door, eager and excited, stepping out before he stumbles and falls hard against the harsh, ice ground. His first thought is that it must be a slippery ground today, until he realises that he's tripped over _something_. Something hard and solid and heavy.

Thank Spirits for the gloves and thick-layered of clothing, the only thing that's throbbing rather painfully is his right knee - the one that stumbles first. He folds his leg carefully as he sits up, cursing out.

What he sees almost threaten his soul to fly off into the Spirits world: pair of cold eyes, looking back at him, unblinking, empty. _Dead_.

He knows this man. Yuan.

But something's different about this Yuan. Yuan he knows has dark-mocha skin, easy-going smiles and sharp, intense stares. The Yuan he recognises would shyly ask about Katara whenever she's gone off, would take his orders and execute it without any complaints, who eats fish soups like there's no tomorrow. Yuan he knows wouldn't be lying off on the ground, skin as if burned except for his pale, dead face, eyes searching for something that doesn't exist.

On top of his forehead marked an ancient-writing style, that nearly resembles a logo: an insignia.

But Sokka spends too much time with Gran-Gran when he's a kid while she reads her ancient-font book to know the carving, the spelled-name.

He pushes himself back, still gasping for oxygen.

_Azula_, the insignia states, bold and clear and vivid as the blue sky and the corpse in front of him. _Azula_.

* * *

**6,044 words. For my future references. And just so you know, Fire Sashimi Petals don't exist. What _do_ exist, however, is being a Hot Cocoa-addict. It's something Sokka and I have in common, apparently, because I can assure you both him and I can chug that piece of ... _stuff_ more than the necessary (or appropriate) quantity amount for no apparent reason whatsoever.**

**Yeah, we're awesome like that. Thanks for the read.**


	3. Chapter 2

**The Taste of Metallic and Burn**

**Sokka never imagines himself as one to be as comfortable to accept the fact he's living with Zuko and his psychopath sister, but he's tolerating it. Until burned corpses marked for Azula starts appearing up on the front door like presents. Something is up, and Sokka might get more than what he bargains for**.

**Two**.

_Til all my sleeves are stained red_  
_From all the truth that I've said_...

Several minutes later, Sokka finds himself wrap up in blanket, in Zuko's room, on his bed, staring at a strange peculiar pattern on the floor, while everyone outside are trying to make sense of the situation. Veela, an eighteen-year old medic in-training, had come to take a look at his wounded knee, finding it's nothing than a bruise and confirming that otherwise from the slight traumatic experience, he'll be fine. Sokka can't quite help himself from croaking out about Yuan, about what happened.

Veela looks aggrieve, shaking her head as she cleans her hands up. "I'm not sure," she says, tone rough and curt. "They're cleaning the body up, but there isn't much to say about it. He's murdered raw and fresh - _burned_."

The word stings his ears, and he looks up to see Veela's giving him a strange look. He oddly knows what she must be concluding off. A hoarse voice from behind suddenly speaks up, "It isn't her. I assure you."

Veela turns around, only to see Zuko standing there with a plain look over his face, his shoulders squared and his jaw sets. He isn't exactly looking at the young medic, but it's clear who he's talking to. "She knows better than to do it. She's in enough trouble as it is, with everyone - with the Spirits."

Veela doesn't say anything back, doesn't even waver. Sokka has already known her as a stoic young lady, brutally immune from expressing any sorts of obvious emotions towards a situation or a scene - a very handful person, but too many secrets underneath her skin, behind her eyes. She nods at Zuko, "I understand."

Zuko hums, looking away. Something in the way the Prince moves make Sokka thinks that Zuko, himself, isn't entirely sure about the fact his sister hadn't just kill a man. He wishes he could comfort his older friend, but his muscles refuse to move - his mind aches at the thought of Yuan, now just a body without a soul.

Veela looks back up at Sokka, a stern expression itching on her face. She nods out of respect, "I'll be going now."

Sokka nods back, but his eyes are out-of-focus and his mind is reeling back to the young woman who he just shared his Hot Cocoa with last night, who burned down a napkin just to spite him off, who two days ago was too afraid to let go of Appa, who was supposed to be too broken to even move. _She can't be off killing people_, he snarls in his head. _Not after tasting the hot cocoa - _his_ hot cocoa, no less! She should be in a happy place. Not going all berserk and start toasting everyone up_.

Zuko sighs, and walks closer once Veela is out of the room and the door is perfectly shut. "She isn't capable of doing so."

He merely looks up, expecting the older man to explain further. Zuko does. "She can't initiate that amount of energy to actually - actually kill someone. She can't."

Poor Zuko. He seems to be trying to convince himself rather than Sokka.

"Where's royal surliness this very morning?" Sokka asks instead, looking back at the silly pattern on the floor, and realising just how tired he truly is - his voice sounds timid and scared. _Pathetic_. Spirits, what happens to his fighting spirit? The part of him that always beckon for him to stand up again, no matter how terrible he falls, no matter how deep? Could it vanish at the mere sight of dead eyes unblinking back at him?

Zuko sits himself at the empty space next to Sokka, his shoulder finally sags and he tangles his fingers together, sighing heavily with his eyes closed. "Still in bed," he answers meekly, now hearing the sounds of people shouting and screaming outside. "Aang's guarding her door. No one will be able to enter."

_Of course_, Sokka almost forgets. Now with the dead body, people will have more reason to attack the manic Fire Princess.

He nods at that information, tightening the hold of the blanket around his body. He surprises himself because now, a native Water Tribesman, can't stand the cold that's crawling over his skin, while Zuko seems untouched by the drastic change of temperature - and he's both a firebender (which naturally makes him more sensitive to the coldness than everyone) and isn't originated from here. Or maybe Sokka's experiencing this all by his own.

Yuan's eyes cross his mind once again.

He shivers visibly, but Zuko doesn't seem to notice. In fact, the Fire Prince seems absorb by his own thoughts that must be drowning any sense he could control. Suddenly, fidgeting, Zuko says, "The insignia. It's not exactly spelled Azula."

"I know that." Sokka says - because after looking at it carefully, the second time, it is actually spelled under Azulon's name. But at the bottom, there's a pattern that couldn't be missed - a pattern painted to deliver the message, a pattern that shows whoever did it is seeking for the heir. But not just any heir. _An heiress_, if to be precise.

And who else in the whole globe would be Azulon's heiress if not... Sokka sighs.

"Hey." He suddenly calls, forcing Zuko to look back up at him. "What's Fire Sashimi Petals?"

There's a beat of confusion passing over the Prince's face for a second, before he straightens his back and rubs his nape. "Uhm, it's a - " Zuko tries to form his words out, taking a few moments. "They use to serve it once or twice when we were younger, at important events that Ozai used to drag the whole family to - Azula and I, that is. It's a Fire Nation dish, a rare one, because the ingredients they use is... not publicly known. Only certain people can serve it, even now."

"Oh." Sokka says pathetically, blinking twice. "That's nice. Are they any good?"

"They're a little too salty for me." Zuko rolls his shoulders, "My mother and Azula likes it though. She always steal more than necessary, and they would eat it quietly behind Ozai's back."

"That sounds like your sister."

"Why do you ask?"

"No reason," he mumbles back.

A few knocks on the door before the it swings open, revealing Toph. She stands there for a couple of moments, making sure she's grabbing the guys' attention. Sokka lifts his chin up, expecting her to speak. Toph then leans against the doorframe, she sighs, closes her eyes, and opens them back again, "They're taking the body away, now. And Sparky, the Councilmen wants you."

Zuko and Sokka shares a glance at the mention of 'Councilmen' - a group of men who practically dictates everything if it weren't for the Firelord who would stepping in and stops their actions. Honestly, apart from Ozai, they're one of the scariest people Sokka's ever met.

Zuko stands, nods and leads himself out.

It doesn't take long. The team that Dad must have organised is efficient and quick, cleaning up any evidence and marks of a homicide. From inside the room, Sokka could hear murmurs of people and hushed footsteps, all quick and messy and colliding together to create unnecessary white noises - until it descends into a complete silence. When he gathers enough courage to walk himself out of the room, he sees Aang still waiting by Azula's door, Toph sitting quietly at the living room, Zuko nowhere to be seen.

And within those ten minutes he counts, the traces of a dead body and everybody who were at the scene of the crime are gone.

* * *

There's a crash from inside Azula's room sometime nearly an hour after the clean-up that makes Sokka races to see what happens. When she wakes up about thirty minutes ago, Zuko (who has just gotten back from the Councilmen and looks pretty shaken up, informing them that the Men wanted them all to meet this afternoon) quickly gets in to tell Azula of what happened, that followed up with a few hushed questions to which Zuko answered patiently before he walked out with a tight line on his lips, and a crease between his brows.

At least Azula didn't throw a rampage or cause any harm, either on herself or anyone.

That is, up until to _that_ point. Sokka stands to watch as Zuko rushes inside, trying to pull Azula up as the young Princess kneels down, her hair in a topple of mess, the books that seem to follow her as she falls are everywhere on the floor. She winces loudly and snarls when Zuko reaches up to her, "I'm _fine_!"

"No, you're not." Zuko replies, his tone definite. "You tripped. You hurt yourself."

Once again, she growls. "I'm _fine_."

"Azula. Can you not - " Zuko bites his tongue, grabbing a handful of his dark hair, then sighs. "_Please_."

"Just go." She says instead, her eyes facing downwards, her hair falls like curtain by her side. Her shoulder shakes slowly, Sokka notices. From his side, Aang watches on pitifully, because he knows there's nothing he could do. "Go away. I can handle this myself."

Zuko kneels down then, trying to catch his sister's gaze. In a slower and calmer tone, he urges, "You're injured."

"I'm fine." She presses her tongue as she says it through gritted teeth, her shoulders now shaking a little more obviously.

By the door, Sokka exaggeratedly sighs - and before he knows it, he finds himself striding inside of the room (seriously, he's going to lose a head if he keeps this up), hook his arms under her knees and on her back with one swift and hoists her up to his chest. The Fire Princess yelps, and quickly clutches him around his neck, grabbing the fabric of his cloth so hard that he has a feeling it'll tear off.

He hisses, but doesn't say anything more.

He carries her to the bathroom - which is closest to her room (now does he understand why Zuko chooses this room for his sister) - and sits her on the closed toilet-lid. She doesn't let him go at first as she's placed down, her eyes mainly gazing towards the floor. He slowly kneels down in front of her, her hands never quite leaving his shoulders. He stares harshly at her, as if his gaze could urge her to finally look him in the eyes. The question thumps in his head and syncing with his heartbeat, that seems to grow louder in volume by the seconds: _did you kill Yuan?_

On the outside, he doesn't say anything.

She's still looking down, clenches a fist on his garment before letting her fingers slide to her own laps. "I didn't ask for your help," she sneers, the venom laces her every word, reminding Sokka it is not a weak woman he's facing right now.

But Sokka's determination (or stupidity) doesn't cower, and he shrugs a shoulder. "You aren't exactly moving at the speed of lightning there, Manic Panic."

She snaps her head immediately at him, the nickname and yesterday's conversation beats in her memory Sokka would guess, and she glares hard at him. "I could have gotten up just fine."

"Maybe," Sokka shrugs again, now standing up. "But we don't have all day. You need to clean up because scary dudes in robes - the Councilmen - wants to see us this afternoon."

She doesn't bother snapping a snarky reply - so she looks away from him.

He squints his eyes up at her, "Aang will check up your injuries."

"_No_."

"Don't be stubborn, Princess." The title tastes bitter on his tongue, but he shrugs it off, signalling the young Avatar to come into the room. Aang hesitates, before he obeys to Sokka's orders and timidly stands next to him. "It's for your own good."

With that, Aang begins working, inspecting the wounds with his water-bending - Aang isn't much of a healer, but he has his share of knowledge, and he _can_ help if he must, Sokka's sure. Silently, he hears Azula mutters under her breath, "You know nothing of my good."

_That's true_, Sokka decides on just clamming his mouth shut as Aang does what he does.

When the Avatar is done, he stands, nodding slowly to himself before he turns to Sokka. "She's fine. She's just badly bruised on her knees, arms and hips. I'm guessing... she tripped over her books, on another set of books." Darting a look to the fallen Princess, who just seems to be shrinking more and more as they talk, Aang nods more firmly this time. "We would probably need to just put bandage on her hips and legs. I could ask her caretaker to do that."

"Okay," Sokka nods, and hears Zuko shuffling nearby.

"I'll make sure her room gets clean up." The Prince says before pausing, only to open his mouth again, eyes more towards his sister, "I'll arrange the books properly."

Sokka nods some more, asks Aang to fetch the caretaker while Zuko disappears, probably clearing up Azula's book away and he takes the time to stare at the shrinking girl in front of him. The question still haunts his mind, but somehow he can't get himself to ask it. To _accuse_ her.

Something is convincing him that Yuan's death is not Azula's doing - and he, he strangely believes it.

Nami, the caretaker, comes about two minutes later, with Aang already telling her what she needs to do. Sokka can actually feels his muscles relax at the sight of Nami - a Southern Water Tribeswoman that used to babysit him and Katara when they were children - and with a knowing looks, he knows Azula is in good hands.

Sokka rubs his face harshly and takes an extra coat on the way out, announcing to no one in particular that he's going for a walk.

* * *

The Central Arena is a place Dad's right hand-man, Uncle Jimmu, constructed right after the war.

Realising the growing rate of human population at the South and joining in with the plan to make Southern Water Tribe grander, he builds it specifically to train young men to be warriors, either bender or non-bender. It's an idea that excites Sokka, because all of his young life, a warrior is what he idolises to be. Now, that dream isn't something impossible to any younger boys.

The Central Arena is quite small to compare with it's original idea of it, but it's perfect in any other way. Often, Sokka finds himself practicing there - sometimes with warriors around his age, sometimes to train younger ones. Today though, he just wants to be in a place he's comfortable with, while drinking ... _anything_, really to numb himself up.

The Arena has a small cafeteria before you enter in, and Sokka quickly finds his place, purchasing a small cactus juice bottle. Almost immediately, a good friend of his, Qu pats his shoulder and joins him on his table. "So, is it true?" he asks, before anything else.

Did he mention that Qu is also the biggest gossiper of them all?

Sokka pops his cactus juice opens, blinking at his good friend helplessly.

Qu stops his hands before the lid of the bottle could reach his lips. "Dude. I heard you're meeting with the Men this afternoon. Wouldn't want to do that if I were you."

Sokka snatches his hand from Qu, but doesn't initiate anything to indicate that he's drinking ... _yet_. His arm falls by his side as he takes a deep inhale of the air. He doesn't remind Qu that this case is supposed to be a secret, under-wrap; that _he_ _should probably shut his mouth this instant_.

Qu taps his foot, staring eagerly at him. "Well? Does the Men has any suspects?"

Sokka shrugs. "I don't know," he breathes out slowly, calming his racing mind. "I just hope they catch this culprit soon, because it's ought to be as creepy as fuck knowing there's a killer out there ready to drop a burned corpse on your front porch."

Qu shrugs, now placing his chin on his palm. "You sure it isn't her?"

"Nah. She's too... broken down, I guess." Sokka stares at the cactus juice bottle, recalling how his mouth doesn't ask questions while she's there, just right in front of him. "It can't be her. She's got too much to lose."

The sound of Zuko's voice comes back into his mind: "_She's in enough trouble as it is, with everyone - with the Spirits_."

"Anything could happen, you know." Qu mumbles, pursing his lips and knocks the table with his knuckles. "Her brother's been good at protecting her."

"If I were in his shoe, I'd be doing the same thing to Katara." Sokka now has the bottom of his palm pressing on his eyeballs, grunting. "She might be insane and a little loose on the screw of her head, but she's not out there murdering men anymore."

"You sure?"

"Unfortunately." Sokka grits his teeth. "Can we please talk about something else?"

Qu flashes him a pitying smile, and slowly takes the cactus juice from Sokka. He then informs him about the training he'll execute to a few familiar names this evening, such as Nara and Michio, and Sokka slips up a few smiles here and there. By the time they finish off the conversation, Sokka realises Qu has been sipping on his cactus juice all along and rolls his eyes at his friend's antics.

When he comes back, things aren't exactly sunshine and happiness. Zuko quickly comes to him, losing a little of his cool facade when he says that they're late to see the Councilmen and Azula refuses to move from her spot in the room. Toph and Aang stands by the side looking like they don't know how to fit in with the situation; well, Aang's more panic than Zuko is, Toph just wouldn't care either way. Sokka marches up to her room, and is ready to lift her up once again, but she stops him when his arms are under her knees.

"I don't need your help!" She pushes him, although with lack of strength because other than the wince from her sharp nails digging on his skin, he doesn't quiver away.

"We need to move." He says, counting back from ten in his head. He knows this won't be an easy task. _Sigh_. Why did he let himself got involved in this mess in the first place? Spirits help him.

She huffs, but doesn't move otherwise.

"You're injured. I'll carry you," he tells her, now leaning back in to carry her again. Only to have her pushes him once more.

"I said," she growls at him, glaring daggers. "I don't need your help!"

"Why do you always refuse when someone wants to help you?!" He screams, agitated and frustrated. His chest heaves and his eyes are burning just by looking at this young woman in front of him. "We're not here to kill you, for Spirit's sake!"

"Because - " there's a catch in her voice, and she makes that movement again where she casts her eyes to the floor. "_Because_."

"Well, guess what, Mad Princess?" Sokka forces out, gruffly - now picking her up even though she refuses his touch, seemingly shrinking at the contact (just like she always would) - while he breathes out slowly, "That's not good enough of an excuse."

"I am not weak," she meekly whispers, muffling against her own hair.

Sokka pauses, now following Zuko out of the lodge. He hesitates with himself, before he speaks in a low volume, not soft but not harsh either, "Even the strongest people seek help. There's no shame in it."

At least, that's what Kya said once when he fell while he pretended to kill a fire bender and got himself injured.

The grim atmosphere wouldn't help his headache, Sokka thinks after a few steps - so he decides to clear his throat and asks, "Are your hip and leg bandaged?"

Azula doesn't answer at first. "Yes."

"You're good?"

"I will live, Water Tribe Boy."

"I have a name, you know."

"And I'm sure it's an interesting one." She replies in a dry humour, but her voice sounds far-off, distant away. Sokka doesn't say anything more and settle in with the silence that falls upon them, deciding that he'll keep his distance once they arrive at the Main Building, where the Men awaits them. He shivers, and sees Azula glancing briefly at him. He keeps on walking.

* * *

When they arrive at the Main Building, the Councilmen give them a few minutes to take their seats. Katara is standing there with a few medics that Sokka guess must have helped with the investigation, Dad is there too with Uncle Jimmu, looking more concern than anything, and a few guards (these guards however belongs to the Councilmen and not the Southern Water Tribe's people) are stationed around the hall. Iroh is already seated, his face is calm and in between his palms is a warm cup of tea. He looks slightly surprised as Sokka stalks in with his niece in his arms.

Everyone scurries to their respective places.

The door is shut completely.

The Head Councilmen, Sir Takeshi frowns, his eyes bore onto the people that are in front of him. In a slow pace, he drawls with his deep voice, "Firelord Iroh, Prince Zuko, Avatar." He pauses, now glancing at the rest of the company. "And the lots."

Something deep in Sokka's throat, there's a growl. Katara shots him a look, later shaking her head. He stares at his sister before giving in, calming himself down to look at the Head Councilmen and not draw his sword at his throat.

"I believe we all know why we are here." He drawls again, slow and annoying.

It's Uncle Jimmu who waves his hand dismissively, "Unless we're talking about the preparation for the Lady's Night Out that went terribly wrong last night - let's not beat around the bushes. We need answers. What happened to Yuan? How was he killed?"

Sir Takeshi glares hard at Uncle Jimmu, but Sokka knows Uncle Jimmu well enough to know that he isn't cowering just because he says something honest; something that has been playing in everyone's mind. He remembers Uncle's mantra like the back of his hand: _if it's bullshit, call on it_. Sokka smirks.

Katara stands up now, handing a written parchment across the table to Iroh. "Burned. Instantly. My team estimates he was killed around two in the morning." Iroh inspects the parchment, Zuko (who's by his side) tries to read in without being noticed. Sir Takeshi looks directly at the Firelord, but the other Councilmen don't even hide the fact that they're glaring straightly at Azula, who sits dutifully next to her brother and purposely avoids eye contact.

Aang, who sits next to the Fire Princess, begins to fidget. "Who would do such a thing?" He looks pained, like he's personally been effected by this, or perhaps his soft-natured aren't handling the gruesome facts as steadily. Either way, Aang doesn't look happy.

Sir Takeshi blinks. "Well," he speaks, his deep voice echoes against the hall's wall. "It would have been easy if you were a firebending prodigy, and have been known to master bending lightning at early age of eleven years old."

Iroh puts down the parchment abruptly. "You can't accuse - "

"I would have to ask nicely for the Prince and the..._ Princess_ to come back with us to the Main Land, for later investigation." Sir Takeshi interrupts, his statement firm and not for discussion. A shrill runs over Sokka's spine.

Iroh's frown deepen, making him looks older. "Are you suggesting that my niece is a suspect?"

Sir Takeshi doesn't need to answer - his staring tells enough.

"You can't do that!" Zuko stands suddenly, his voice booming. "You _know_ Azula can't do this! We've reported to you of every little progress she went though. You know what she's capable of!"

"Maybe - " another Councilmen - a creepy old dude with unibrow, Sir Futoshi - hisses. " - my dear Prince, you've missed something."

Councilmen Jing-Jen, a bulk man with long hair that reaches his waist, adds, "We don't see any other Azulon's heiress walking about here."

Zuko's about to bark again, until Iroh lands a hand on his. He takes a look at his Uncle, before he takes a large intake of air. Before he could say anything else, Hakoda interrupts. "How are you sure? Maybe it's an act of the Resistance - the rest of Ozai's loyal followers, now seeking revenge - trying to get to our Firelord-to-be by taking advantage of the bound that Prince Zuko and Princess Azula share."

There's silence in the room, and Sokka braves himself to look at Azula, who is still avoiding any eye-contacts.

"It can't be." Sir Futoshi exclaims, "We've made sure to wipe those group out. If there's any out there, their force won't be strong enough that they breach our security."

"Unless, of course," Councilmen Jing-Jen sneers at Dad, "The Southern Water Tribe's security is just ... _not good enough_."

Uncle Jimmu almost jumps out of his seat. "Why you - "

"_Jimmu_." Dad sternly says, looking at his friend.

"Enough." Iroh stops them, his posture collected and cool. He closes the parchment carefully, handing it back to Katara. "We're not here to start another war between Nations. We're here to solve a case."

Sir Takeshi sighs, "Which leads us back to earlier - a ship will be ready in, at least, three hours. We hope you'll corporate without... stirring trouble."

Zuko looks frustrated, "Why would my sister kill this man?"

"Because she's _crazy_," snarls Sir Futoshi, earning him a glare out of one eye from Sir Takeshi. The unibrowed-man purses his lips and smoothens down his robe.

"Wait - " shouts Sokka, now catching everyone's attention on him. He shrinks back into his seat, finding his lips completely dry and his mouth unable to perform an audible sound. He grips his armrest, then slowly re-arrange his words. "You said two AM, right?" Katara nods at this and Sir Takeshi raises a brow. "Then it definitely wasn't Azula. She's with me."

"Really now, Snoozles?" Toph perks up in interest.

"Seriously, Toph? Wants some soap to clean that dirty mind of yours?" Sokka retorts naturally, before he turns back to Sir Takeshi. "Anyway, we were having a chat. Just a normal, non-threatening, no murdering anyone whatsoever, chat."

Zuko looks confused. Toph snorts. "Are we even talking about the same person here? Cuckoo-clock here doesn't look too chatty to me."

From besides her, Aang nervously says, "_Toph_..."

Sokka rolls his eyes despite it all. "Okay, yeah, I was doing most of the chatting. She was there and made rude comments, and she even nearly set the kitchen on fire. Point is, she wasn't killing anybody."

"She joined in the conversation?" Katara asks in disbelief.

"Kitchen? On Fire?" Zuko frowns.

"Can we all get past the initial shock of your sister's ability to actually come in contact with another human being without causing their harm - well, not entirely - and went back to the real subject? She. Did. Not. Kill. Anybody."

"She must have find a way somehow!" Sir Jing-Jen doesn't seem satisfied, his nose flaring. "She tricked your tiny mind."

Sokka frowns immediately, "I do _not_ have a tiny mind! And she's all real alright, yesterday. We even shared Hot Cocoa together!"

"Sharing Hot Cocoa, huh? So Snoozles' writing up a romance novel and I'm not the main character?" Toph smirks, slurring. "_Interesting_."

"Toph, please don't make fun of this." Aang pleads.

"Shut up, you!" Sokka motions towards the Blind Bandit, who's now chuckling amusingly and returns his gaze back at the Councilmen. "I'm not making this up. She's there and real and clearly away from any other people except for the four of us - Zuko, Aang, Toph and I."

Sir Takeshi barely blinks, "Until we can be sure it isn't her, Prince Zuko and Princess Azula must come with us."

"What," Aang speaks up. "That isn't fair."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Avatar."

"Wait, wait, wait up." Toph sits straighter now, brushing a strain of dark hair that falls on her face with an easy grace. "The _Avatar_ - " she mocks Takeshi, then smiles sorta evilly, "- is right. It isn't fair. What's that saying again - hn, oh yeah - innocent until proven guilty. Isn't that how they say it, Sparky?"

"Uh - oh - yes. Yes." Zuko stammers, nodding afterwards. "That's correct."

Sir Takeshi looks bored.

"Is the man even on duty guard last night?" Toph asks, and everyone turns to Sokka, Hakoda and Uncle Jimmu.

Hakoda shakes his head, "No."

"Then he's not supposed to be within 500 meter radius of both Zuko or Azula. And wherever Zuko is, Azula is there too." Sokka declares proudly.

"And I can assure you I was asleep the whole night," Zuko pledges.

"That should be no surprise." Toph scoffs, "The lodge is still standing as we speak, which could only mean Sparky sleeps pretty comfortably last night. If he hasn't - because he's extra touchy while taking his beauty sleep - we'd all be burned corpses instead of that man."

"Nice image there, Toph." Katara dryly mutters.

"Why, thank you."

Sokka now rubs his forehead in an attempt to lessen the throbbing pain inside of his skull. "You know, y'all are doing here accusing her of things she may or may not do - does it ever cross your mind to just _ask_ her?"

The silence that follows is eerie, and Sokka stops rubbing his forehead. Sir Takeshi seems to be staring extra hard on him, before he sighs and fixes his gaze on Azula. "Princess," he drawls nastily - and Sokka can see how Azula's cringing despite her act to remain emotionless. "Did you kill Yuan?"

_Please say no. Please say no_.

Sokka could imagine how all of his friends (and particularly, his) effort would go fly off in waste if she'd say yes. It would be dumb, and idiotic to defend a (former?) serial killer. He watches her, as Azula lifts her chin up and reflects the face that's boring onto her - and for that one moment, Sokka sees the Azula in the war: the one with power, the one that's strangely both beautiful and seriously mad. The one that's not broken to a full yet; the one that's confident she'll win this game.

The Fire Princess smirks, but only slightly. "No."

Everyone in the room seems to be sighing in relief.

"I no longer squash bugs. They're messy and sticky."

"You son of a - " Jimmu almost launches again, but Dad is quick to stop him.

"_Azula_." Zuko warns under his breath. Azula seems to be smirking wider, her eyes glinting with the familiar madness that Sokka witnesses yesterday's night. A part of him regret and mourns over the fact he just defended this monster, but another part of him glad that he did. Spirits, he's just as screwed up as she is, isn't he?

Zuko continues, "She didn't do it."

There's a stare-down that's going on, but Sokka's too worn-out by then to concentrate or participate.

After long last, Sir Takeshi gives in. "Fine. She can stay here, for now."

Iroh nods his head. "Thank you."

One by one, the Councilmen makes their exit and their guards follow their leads like loyal polar-bear-puppies. Councilmen Jing-Jen and Futoshi mainly zeroing their glares toward him for bailing the Princess out, but he decides to ignore them. Zuko comes to him, Iroh trailing by his side.

"Thank you, for standing up for Azula." Zuko smiles, man-hugging Sokka. Toph joins in their small circle.

"And you too, Miss Bei Fong." Something sparks in Iroh as he says this.

Toph grins back, "No prob, dude. You guys have been fussing and groaning and it won't help if everyone's depressed over dinner. That would totally suck."

Sokka chuckles. Suddenly, he feels a tap on his shoulders. He turns around to see Katara, beckoning him towards the door. Without much of anything, he leaves the small circle and joins his sister outside. For the first few moments, they just walk around until they reach a room that Sokka identifies as a small office for his sister. Katara puts down her parchments above all the other parchments and papers and books.

Man, Katara is a workaholic, he thinks as his eyes travel throughout the whole dusty room.

"I want to thank you," she suddenly says, standing behind her desk, looking somewhat grim.

"For what?"

"Everything." There's a tired smile on Katara's face, and as the candle flickers because of the wind, Sokka nearly mistaken her for their mother.

"Everything? The war? World hunger? The fact that Aang gave Momo to an orphan girl during their three-year journey?" He says, pretty bumped by the last one. But Aang promised that he could take him to see Momo soon, so Sokka's trying to see the positive side of things.

Katara tilts her head to one side, now tying her long hair completely behind. "For this - all of it." She rubs the back of her neck once she's got her hair all up in a high ponytail, "The lodge, keeping everyone safe, everyone happy. _Azula_." There's a strain in her voice as she says that name, "... especially Azula."

"She's okay." Sokka shrugs, "I can take her."

"Good. Not a lot of people can. Zuko's too afraid that he might ... _damage_ her or something. Aang's too nice that even though she's the way she is, he will somehow end up being her servant. Toph will go just as equally insane if she's ever up against Azula's stubbornness. And I honestly thought you'd just swing your sword and slit her throat if she ever provokes you." She shakes her head, "But somehow, according to what you just said, about your chatting and sharing drinks and everything - I guess she tolerates you better than I thought."

"What about you?"

"Please. Azula can't _stand_ me. She has these faces that clearly tells me of how much she wants to kill me, with nothing but her bare hands." Katara sighs, now pushing a few of parchments and papers away to give her enough space to set a piece of new paper on the table. "I don't blame her. If she's not in the state she's in, I'd probably have the fantasy of killing her too."

"That's nice to know, and here I believe Qu when he said that when woman cat-fights, it would be sexy and hot."

Katara snorts, the amusement tingles in her expression. "Cat-fight? If Azula and I were cat-fighting, you and Suki would just be _hugging_ and nothing more than that." Sokka lets out a nervous chuckles, recalling back to the moments when Toph used to knock on their (Sokka and Suki's) door for being 'too loud'. Katara smiles lightly, "but yeah - thanks for keeping up with all of these. Even me."

Sokka shakes his head, "Cut yourself some slack, Katara. You're not that bad - and I know your intentions are good."

"It's not just that though," She pauses, now facing side-ways rather than directly at him. "It's just - the whole case with Azula. I mean, it's the only way I can get information from Zuko - or else he turns to somebody better."

"Who could be better than you?"

"There's always someone better, Sokka." She interjects, sighing again. "Azula - she - she - her case is something else. Something out of this world."

"Well, it _did_ involve the Spirits right?" He voices out, recalling back to as much as Aang had been allowed to tell him.

"It did. I think - I think they did something to her brain. Her memory. There's a lot that she knows, but there's also a lot that she _doesn't_ know. It's scary. _She's_ scary - scary smart - "

"Or just scary."

"That too, but there's more to it, you know? She's like, _desperate_ for knowledge, to know things." Katara shuffles now around the room, "She's always watching Aang, observing him as he's healing or bending. Zuko, too. At least, that's what they reported back to me."

"That should explain the huge amount of books she stacked in her room. She even hurt herself over it. Kinda stupid for someone that's smart, huh?" Sokka gives his sister an empty look, before he says his next peace. "Think she might want to rule us back and continue her legacy as the evil Princess?"

"Iroh says she won't. But everyone's been wrong before."

"Maybe she won't. Like the Men said, they made sure they wiped the Resistance clean. No one's going to help her if she ever decides to walk all over us again."

"But Sokka - there's always a way. Always. That's how it works in the world. For evil, or for good. It's just the same concept: as long as you set yourself on something, there's always going to be a way to achieve it."

"Are you even thinking about the bound she share with Zuko? If she ever steps the wrong way, at the wrong place, she'll _die_."

Katara is quiet for a full minute. "You're right. We still have _that_ to worry about," she stops moving then, looking back up at her brother. "Do you really think she didn't kill Yuan?" Her eyes begging for him to say yes.

Sokka nods. "Yeah," _I better hope I'm right, or I'm the biggest idiot of them all_. "It's going to be fine, Katara. I promise."

"Of course," she mutters. "Of course."

"Well, I better bounce off now. I sorta promise Qu to train the boys with him." He makes himself to the door, before turning to give his sister a last hopeful glance, a soft smile over his lips. "I'll see you at dinner tonight?"

Katara smiles, seemingly for the first time ever, genuine and soft and real. "Yeah."

And that's that.

* * *

**6,575 words. I swear to you it was never meant to be this long. Fun fact: Qu's (Sokka's good friend) original name was supposed to be Quantom - but because I don't want anyone to confuse it with quantum physics, I decide to just write Qu (but I can always imagine he's merely using a nickname).**

**And RamaFan, you mentioned that I should get a beta - of which I totally agree, because I honestly can't keep up with my grammars and tenses if I write more than 3000 amount of words - but the problem is, I don't how it works and yeah, I'm an idiot like that. But if any of you are willing to be my beta (or even suggest a name of beta I could seek upon), I'd be totally happy.**

**That's all from me. Hope you're having a great day. Thanks for the read**!


	4. Chapter 3

**The Taste of Metallic and Burn**

**Sokka never imagines himself as one to be as comfortable to accept the fact he's living with Zuko and his psychopath sister, but he's tolerating it. Until burned corpses marked for Azula starts appearing up on the front door like presents. Something is up, and Sokka might get more than what he bargains for.**

**Three**.

_I, I keep on running_  
_I'm building bridges that I know you never wanted_...

"Snoozles."

He doesn't respond, the steamed fish in his rice bowl stands there in front of him, untouched.

This time, there's a nudge - and Sokka quickly pulls himself out of his thought to look back at a worried Aang, and a scowling Toph. He blinks back to realise that currently, he's having dinner with his friends and sister - enjoying the steamed fish and other dishes the chef had prepare for the evening. Right at the end, sits Iroh, happy and beaming as he eats away - next to him is Zuko, a content smile on his face, and next to him, is (obviously) none other than Azula, who merely just sits there, just scrapping her rice-filled bowl with her chopstick, not really eating.

Sokka shakes his head and turns back to his own food. Aang seems to be bubbling out in concern, ducking his head slightly from besides Toph, to check on his friend, "Are you okay there, Sokka?"

Toph doesn't wait for his answer, "I was asking you a question, you Meathead."

"I - uh - sorry. I was distracted."

"By what?" asks Aang, his eyebrows shoots up in a curious manner, his mouth clasps on the ends of the chopsticks, chewing on the rice.

"Nothing. Something a friend said to me earlier." Sokka pushes it away, now leaning over to take more of the fish, before it all gets taken by his sister - who appears like she hasn't had a proper meal since forever.

Qu's voice booms in his mind, like a gentle whisper, but equally loud somehow. "_A lot of people heard it, man. You checked out the Princess' alibi. Everyone's speculating the worst. Some even said she's pregnant, which is a shocker because I - your best friend - don't even know you're in a relationship with the Dragon Lady. I mean, that's just not fair, dude - Imma look like the sad sack if I'm clueless about the fact that my best bro is having the most dangerous secret love affair of the century and I'm the last one to hear about it. You can't leave a man hangin'_."

And of course, following with those words, Sokka hears his own voice denying any relationship (or lack thereof) that occurred between Azula and him. It's not like it matters anyway what other people had thought about it - but something's itching on his skin like a rash, and he can't seem to rub it off. Had it been worth it? Saving out Azula? Even risking his reputation?

He tips his chin back and lets his eyes rest on Zuko, as the slightly older man listens to whatever it is now that Toph's sharing about - and watches him as he interacts back with Katara, making a funny remark, before he chuckles out. _Yes_, Sokka decides. It's worth it. Zuko needs a rest from dealing with serious matter - sometimes a pointless conversation can ease the mind. Sokka would know, most of his friends love to indulge themselves (and pulling Sokka too) into a completely senseless chatter, specifically Qu.

He shakes his head, now allowing the conversation of his friends to be registered into his thoughts, with Aang says: "...must be more suspects rather than Azula?"

Oh. Okay. They're talking about this.

Katara doesn't even look up, "Lex parsimoniae."

"Huh? What's that?" Aang blinks helplessly, Sokka also turns to his sister - expecting an answer.

Suddenly, Azula chuckles next to Zuko, her shoulders actually shaking as her lips turn into a small shape that Sokka recognises as her infamous smirk. She shakes her head, refuses to look up as her mouth chews on a small portion of rice she manages to collect with her chopstick, "Idiot."

Katara turns with interest, "You know what it is?"

"Only buffoons don't." Azula replies - the weak image of a girl she is nowadays seems like nothing more than a pure dream, as if someone has call the Azula that was once to make a comeback. But the simple idea of she, not meeting anyone's gaze, confirms Sokka that nothing of sorts happened. "Lex parsimoniae - or in its other name, Occam's razor. The razor states that one should proceed to simpler theories until simplicity can be traded for greater explanatory power. The simplest available theory need not be most accurate. It's not exactly the correct definition, but it will do."

"What you're saying is...?" Aang frowns extra hard, trying to understand the Manic Princess' statement.

It's Toph that cuts anyone from saying anything, "It means that the Councilmen are going with their best and easiest option."

"Well, that's stupid." Sokka mumbles, and sees Katara and Iroh nod in agreement.

"Honestly, who could blame them?" Toph says more, swallowing a lot of rice and meat. "If I were them and there's a dead body, and this body is burned everywhere and there's a message on top that says _Azulon's heiress_, I'd also give in to that principle. I mean, who else here is _Azulon's heiress_ - unless, of course, Iroh has a daughter he has no idea about, or Sparky and Wholesome of Crazy over here have another sister without their knowledge. Both cases seem unlikely."

"Maybe." Zuko mutters, "maybe not."

"What? You're suggesting you actually have another sibling there, Sunshine?"

"Please... don't call me that." Zuko inhales, and continues. "All I'm saying is, it can happen. My - _our_ mother walked out on us when we were young. Very young. Yes, the case is ... almost impossible. But she wasn't old enough that she couldn't produce offspring when she disappeared."

"So, basically, you're telling us - " Toph pauses, licks her lips and drawls slowly, " - that there is a possibility of Ozai knocking your Mom up and have her pregnant with a... third version of you?"

"It isn't entirely impossible."

"But the chances are slim to none!" Toph chortles, "You're losing your game, Sparky. You're thinking of things that don't exist."

"Look, anything could happen." Katara decides to voice out, silencing Zuko from saying anything. "I understand where Zuko is coming from, but I also get what you're saying Toph. But let's just keep our options open: anything can happen here. Even, yes, Ozai's other child. Maybe. But until we can confirm that, it's better not dwelling on it."

Sokka, who has been playing with the small bottle of soy sauce in his hands, suddenly speaks up, "I think... Takeshi knew she didn't do it."

"What?" Aang turns to him. "How do you know?"

"Because - think about it. If he's sure that Azula was the murderer, he would have called all of his army and hauled her and Zuko out of this place without a moment of hesitation. But he didn't. Instead, he just asked nicely for you guys - " He gazes towards Zuko and the silent Princess, " - to come nicely with them. It's weird. It's just for - I don't know - like, a show. He's just playing you guys off."

"Sokka is right." Iroh suddenly says.

"I am?" Sokka perks up. "Did somebody document that? That's a piece of important history, people."

"The Councilmen were well aware of Azula's strength, and I'm very certain that they'd spend lots of times feeding their guards; asking them to guard this lodge every hour. I would know - I've seen a few of them spying while I was taking my night slumbers." Sokka shivers - having the thought of someone watching over him while he's sleeping at night immediately sends chills throughout his body. "They know Azula didn't go anywhere last night."

"Then why bother with the act?" Aang asks, confused.

"Maybe," Zuko rubs his now shaven face, droning very slowly. "Somebody is setting my sister up for this murder."

"Yes. Perhaps." Iroh nods, playing with his long, white beard, "Someone is seeking vengeance for Azula's crime."

"That shouldn't be a surprise." Toph snorts, shrugging. "Imagine the list of suspects we're looking at, you know, based on the friends _Cuckoo Train_ has made over the war. Even Twinkle Toes' real age is not that high of a number."

"_Hey_!" Aang scowls.

"Okay. I'm seriously done talking about this case. Plus, I think the Men's guards bugged this house or something 'cause I have a feeling we're not the only one that's participating in this conversation." Toph says, and out of the corner of Sokka's eye, he sees Iroh nodding again.

"Fine." Zuko dismisses.

"So," Toph begins. "When are you guys coming to my school and make a super big show that I have awesome friends and my pupils are bunch of losers that need more working on their bending, rather than their useless knowledges of how hot that theatre-actor, Kehro is, and whether if it's true or not that he's dating the other theatre-actress, Min Wei?"

"His name is actually Kenzo," Katara chirps. "And he's not dating Min Wei, I checked."

Toph groans, "You too, Sugar Queen?"

"What! I was travelling and a friend asked me to go to this act about us - _again_ - the improved version obviously, the one where we actually won, and the actors and actresses are more or less accurate and Kenzo was playing a very attractive Zuko and I can't help it."

"More attractive _me_?" Zuko chocks on a meat.

"Hey, he was nice alright. He actually tells me I'm pretty."

"You - you talked to him?" Aang asks sadly, like a child whose dream has been crushed right in front of his very eyes.

"If I find out that they're not portraying me correctly this time, I swear to Spirits I'll talk to someone. I might even went up that stage myself!" Sokka shouts, agitated. "I mean, the ladies have to know that they are more to me than my charming, good looks."

"Charming good looks?" Toph scoffs, "I can't see you, but even _I_ know that's not true."

"That- that is so cruel!"

"I don't understand, how more can someone be more attractive than me, while being me?" Zuko seems helpless.

Iroh laughs and steals his nephew's fish.

* * *

Sokka rolls over and opens his eyes immediately.

There has been a whisper of somebody calling after him in the darkness, and somehow he had identify it as something that is foreign from the land of dream; almost instantly knowing that it isn't someone from the dream that's calling him. In fact, it's a real voice, definite, solid and ... _highly_ _disturbing_.

Sokka opens his eyes and sees a shadow standing by his door - sitting up quickly, Sokka watches this figure through his stil drowsiness state of mind. He sniffles, but doesn't move any muscles except for his right hand that is slipping slowly under his pillow, where he puts his army knife at every night before he falls asleep. Speaking of paranoid, huh? Oh, well.

"Who are you?" He growls, his voice drops to a lower tone than usual, in an attempt to intimidate his opponent. His mind - although sleepy - already reeling of a plan that could make him having the upper-hand on the fight, maybe a way to make it out of the room and wake everyone up instead of facing this person alone.

_Oh Spirits. Don't tell me I'm going to be the next burned victim. I'm too handsome to die_.

"Calm down, Water Tribe Boy." Those familiar voice says, now coming into the light. Azula stands there, eyes not quite meeting his and it seems that she's having trouble just being in his personal space. _Perhaps being this close to a Water Tribe peasant initiates an asthma attack_, muses Sokka.

"Oh, it's you." He still doesn't let go of his army knife that's now well in his grip, but he doesn't show it either. With the other free hand, he rubs his eyes, yawning, "Do you need help with anything? How did you even climb up those stairs. Don't your leg hurts?"

"I'm _fine_," she chants her mantra, her tone annoyed. He merely rolls his eyes backward, yawning again. "I need you to come with me."

"_Wha_ - ?" Sokka squints up at her. "Are you okay, right now? Are you sleep-walking?"

"I just - can you not?" She tries to take a step forward, but because of her hip and leg injury, she stumbles instead and Sokka, quickly, stands up and snatches her hands that's reaching out - already reacting to prevent herself from completely clashing with the floor. "Ugh," she mutters, as the top of her head hitting his hard chest.

Sokka winces at the force of the collision. "Clumsy," he comments, now trying to steady her.

"I am not!" She snaps up, eyes glaring daggers. Through gritted teeth, she says, "And get your knife away from me."

He finally realises the vice-grip he has on her, and his right hand having the knife pointed to her body. He lets her go, and throws his knife onto the bed before he inspects the part where the tip of the knife were at, his other hand holding her other arm. "You're wounded," he says, now looking at the tear under her armpits, near her breast. The cut isn't deep, as only the tip of the blade has smeared against her skin, but there is a scratch - and there is blood. He tells her this.

She winces, but quickly let her left arm falls to cover the tearing. "It - it hur - fine. I'll be fine."

"You say that a lot." He notes, now going over to get a first aid kit Katara stores in each room of the lodge in the drawer. Pulling it, he immediately opens up the aid kit, finding a few plasters, the ones Katara has specifically designed it right after the war for cuts that don't need bandaging. "You're hurt. I know. It's always the smallest wounds, huh?" She doesn't answer, but he never lets that stop him before. "Hurts like a bitch."

He comes, waving the plaster in front of her face, "It'll cover up for the cut. It's not water-proof, and it'll hurt even more once it's wet and get dries up, and you try to tear it from your skin. So, I reckon you pull it off before you take a bath tomorrow." He now nudges her to move her hand away, "C'mon. I'll do it real quick."

"I don't - " She tries, sounding no more pleasing to be in this situation than him.

"I won't molest you or anything if that's what you're worried about." He says seriously, looking at her.

She has her eyes shut so hard that her nose is all scrunch up, and her teeth are gritted and lined perfectly for him to study. She takes a few inhales of breath before she shudders, and mutters in a fast-pace, "I'm not comfortable with this."

He turns his eyes to his feet, trying to take in the almost-scared girl (because she's never _really_ scared, he thinks) in front of him that he never thought he'd see. Sokka licks his lips, "I'll be quick. Super quick. And then we can be out of this situation and not talk about it. At all. I promise."

He sees her swallow and exhaling again. Eventually, she lifts her left arm and exposes to him the tear.

He takes deep breath, darting a look at her before he places the plaster slowly over the cut. After having all the plaster on her skin, he takes two fingers and smoothens it, slightly touching her smooth skin when he finishes and lets his hand dangles by his side. He tries not hear the increasing rate of his heart that seems to beat louder in his ear, or to feel the tingle that is now spreading from the fingers that have come in contact with her skin to his whole body - in fact, he just licks his lips and decides to push it away as irrelevant.

"Done," he says, now turning back to take his knife, cleaning the tip of the blade, where he can see the blood tints, under the illuminating moonlight.

He simply wipes it against his tunic, later on only frowning - _maybe I can ask Katara how to wash blood out of my cloth_. There's just something not appealing with blood on one's clothes, no matter how small the amount of blood there is. Especially if it's not even yours.

When he turns back, Azula doesn't budge away, but her right hand is under her left arm now, and she's looking away from him.

For a couple of minutes, neither speak - until Azula opens her mouth, hesitating, and finally says it. "I - I need you to come with me."

Sokka gives her an odd look. "... Why?"

"I need you - you to show me ... where the dead body was."

This time, he's facing directly at her. Firmly, he repeats, "Why?"

"Can you - just do it." It's more of an order - a chocked order, but an order still - than anything and Sokka isn't having any of it.

"Would your head explode in a million tiny pieces and release confetti if you say please?"

"Would it matter?" She asks instead, standing awkwardly, eyes dragging to the floor.

Sokka lets his eyes travel to the window outside, where frosts are covering most of the glass. "It's cold out there - very cold. You sure you're okay being out there at this hour?" Then suddenly, he lets his gaze fall back on her. "What time is it exactly?"

"An hour pass midnight."

He sighs loudly, messing with his hair again. His mind is working and he groans dramatically when he finds himself walking to the closet, his army knife sets in his hand, - on the way, he catches his rubber band swiftly, and ties his hair almost as quickly - opens the closet, grabs one set of fur coat and puts it over his arm. He wears another layer of thick clothing on his body and turns to her. "I can't believe I'm - " he shakes his head and walks to her. "Do you need help walking?"

The Princess looks hesitant, her eyes everywhere except for him, and after a few beating seconds pass, one hand suddenly clutches the right part of his chest, almost digging her fingernails into his collarbone if his two-layer clothing isn't there. He quickly catches her right side, steadying her. He manages to crack a smile, "It's a wonder how you climb those stairs."

She's quiet for a while, watching as he slips his army knife somewhere in his clothes, before mumbling, "It wasn't easy."

He chortles, "I could imagine."

Now ready, he grabs a hold of her waist and lets her leans herself against his body. Under his fingers, he could feel her bones rather than flesh. He flashes her a look, but she must have not noticed when she only grunts, probably thinking _how pathetic it is than now she's in the arm of a Water Tribe savage, weak and limping._ Sokka just keep quiet and silently points out how she should eat more, but doesn't actually say it to her.

The amount of time they take to flight down the stairs aren't short, and once at the bottom, she stumbles again, grunting loudly and now grasping on him with all the force she could muster herself to. Sokka grunts as well, not really appreciating the abrupt pull on his shirt, the thick coat he's been holding with his arm falls without much of an effort, now settling next to his feet. Despite all of that though, he grits his teeth, "You okay?"

She nods, but doesn't say anything more.

The door isn't far from that point, and the walk there isn't much of a struggle. Once reaching the knob, Sokka returns to grab the fallen thick fur, brushing any dusts that manage to get caught up with the fabric. Coming back to Azula's side, he hands her the coat simply - watches the surprised expression flows and shapes the line on her face. "You need it more. Fire Nations people aren't supposed to withstand these types of weather, at this time of the night no less. Don't want you to die or anything."

"How thoughtful..." is all she could respond with, grasping onto the thick fur now. He shrugs a shoulder, and seeing as she still is staring intently at it - he takes it to grab the coat, unfolds it, and dress her until she snaps, "I can handle this."

"You were getting emotional." _At a piece of un-living fabric_.

"I was not." She grumbles, frowning and wears the coat quickly over herself. Once she smoothens the fabric, it is clear that the coat is a tad too big for her small-sized body, and Sokka can't help himself from grinning.

"You look nice." He throws a sarcastic remark, observing her.

There's a tug of a frown to her lips as she faces the door that encourages Sokka's grin to grow bigger. Who knew antagonizing the Fire Princess could bring so much joy? She clears her throat, "Are you certain you should go out in those attire?"

He nearly rolls his eyes at her, scoffing, "Please. I've lived here my whole life - these weathers? I could even sleep-walk through it. Although I rather not, because cat-wolves tend to roam during the nights and if you don't know this, they're carnivores - which means, I could be their next meal if I don't watch out for myself."

There's a glint that brightens up her cheeks somehow, "And that is horrible, how?"

"Nah, I'm too precious to be eaten."

"I'm sure you are."

"C'mon, _you_ need me. I'm your machine to carry you around." He mocks, sneering up at her.

"I do not _need_ you." She says harshly, as if she's spitting out poison from her mouth.

"You need me right now, don't you?" He raises his brow at her, putting his hand on his hip, looking down at her.

By the curl of her lips that almost shapes into a snarl, he knows he's winning _this_ conversation. She hangs her head a little lower, then grunts audibly, "... Fine."

Sokka smiles in triumph, opening the front door and slowly walk himself, and the Princess, out of the lodge. Just as he thought: no guard. Which is correct, because they wouldn't allow anybody to guard at this hour, Sokka remembers his father informing him. But there will be a patrol where once in every two hours, a group of night-shift guards walk around to check if everything is as it seems. Letting his mind whirls back to the death of Yuan, he can't help thinking that the murderer must have known their schedules - and knew exactly what he's doing.

Sokka shakes his head and decides to focus on the present instead. A few more steps onto their porch, and he stops and crouches down, turning back to a shivering Azula. The dead eyes of Yuan flashes back at him and Sokka takes a time to compose himself, before croaking out. "There. That's where I found him."

Unexpectedly, a rough hand clasps on his shoulder before he realises that Azula is trying to kneel next to him. He flinches, but doesn't shove her hand away. He squints his eyes up at her, watches as her gaze sets on where Yuan once lied, cold and unmoving - her expression concentrated, her lips in a tight line; a faint resemblance between Zuko and her becomes somewhat more vivid, and something in Sokka's body (or mind, or heart or whatever) softens.

She extends her right hand, her fingers panning out over the place, her eyes are set grimly and she winces, but nothing more.

Abruptly, she snatches his hand, slender fingers around his large wrist, but grip him as harsh as dry ice. He grimaces, and uses his strength to pull away. Azula grunts.

"Calm down," she hisses.

"You're hurting me!" He says, wincing as her nails dig into his skin.

She loosens her hand, but doesn't let him go. Inhaling, she tries with a gentler tone, "Open your hand as I do. Palm down. Do not hesitate."

"Wha - _why_?!"

She frowns, "Just do it."

Because Sokka knows there's a one in a million chance she would say _please_, he just sighs and does as she asks to. He observes her from the corner of his eyes, confusion and curiosity all clashing inside of his head, but he doesn't pull away. A few of her raven hair that's tied up completely behind falls down to her face, but it doesn't seem to disturb her. Just as his fingers syncing with her movements, hovering over the scene of the crime, he jerks it back up - accidentally causing her to lose her balance and falls back on the snow.

She hisses incredibly loud and mutters something like "_fool_" under her breath, but Sokka isn't sure. She puts her hands back behind and leans back onto it instead, trying to create the illusion that she meant to fall. "Explain to me. What do you feel?"

Sokka rubs his palm, trying to put pressure on it. "Like somebody sticking a thousand needles on my fingers. And then, something weird, almost refreshing. Like peppermint."

"Peppermint?" She asks, scoffing out.

"Peppermint. Peppermint. You know them. It grows everywhere on Fire Nation's soils."

"Of course I _know_ them, I just - wasn't expecting that as your answer."

"What _did_ you expect then?" Sokka grunts, still rubbing on his palm and wonders if Azula has set his kidney on fire or something. "And what in the Spirit's world just happened?"

Azula goes back to the concentrated expression she was in a minute ago, looking back at the scene of the crime, her jaw set. Brushing a fallen hair behind her ears, she begins explaining, "The first, the thousand needles that you've experienced, was, I believe, the killer's signature. Or her/his bending's signature, anyway." She pauses, turns to look at him. "The second would be mine, I suppose."

"B-bending signature?" He gapes at her, wanting to laugh at the comedy of this situation. "_What_ bending signature?"

"It's something similar ... to the concept of a scent for a food, or a drink. Except it's for bending instead. If you use a handful amount of bending, you signature will be all over the place. But it takes only high concentration and a lot - _a lot_ - of practice to master this art. I wouldn't expect you to comprehend this information, of course."

Sokka's sure that Azula's pretty much mock him for being a non-bender by the end of her explanation, but her face doesn't seem like she's joking or taunting him - so he lets it roll over him easily. "I mean - I don't understand this. How do you know this? Can Aang do this? And how was I feeling that - as you've clearly stated, I'm not a bender - so how can I feel your signature and stuff?"

"Because I allow you to feel it, through me." She shrugs, now rubbing her bare palms together in trying to warm them up. "And no. I do not believe the Avatar knew about this. Or maybe he does, I do not know. As for _how_ - my mother used to do it to me. But only once. During the horrid three years of which I spent travelling with my oaf of a brother and the idiotic Avatar, I started recalling on that particular memory. I began working on a way to do it as well."

"That's very independent of you." Sokka mutters, now standing up to stretch his legs.

Azula could only nod.

After a few moments, she looks back up at him, eyes furrowing together. "How are you feeling now?"

Sokka blinks at the darkness of the Southern Water Tribe instead of the Princess, rolling his shoulders, "What? You're asking about my hand, or me in general?"

She raises a brow, then drawls out, "Your hand, if you may."

"I don't know," Sokka looks back at his hand, clenching it into a fist and slowly opening it up. "It feels - strange. Like, like I've felt it before. Weird, right? 'Cause I never bend before in my entire life. Why's that?"

She seems to be creating a fire with her hands - but seeing as she's shivering wildly by now, she could only conjure up sparks. "Where - " she says through trembling lips, growing frustrated with the failed result on creating a fire to warm herself up, "Where do you think you've felt it?"

"I - I don't know." He sits besides her and slides his hand into the coat's pocket, pulling out a pair of thick gloves. "Here. Wear this. And, I thought you knew the answers. Don't tell me you're just as clueless as I am."

She takes the gloves, closing her eyes. She doesn't answer his questions, "I thought it was familiar as well, as though I've encountered this before, but I cannot properly recall from when or where - "

"You think you met this person before?"

"It - It's not much of a person, more - more of the, uh, the signature." She rubbing her dry lips, and out of a sudden, lets her forehead to fall on his shoulders, her whole body trembling. "But I can't - don't know from where - "

"Was it a royalty?"

"I don't know."

"Was it a friend's signature, maybe?"

"I don't know."

"Well, you must know something!" He replies, annoyed.

"I don't," she grits, but can't really glare at him as she's more seeking warmth from him rather than anything else. "I don't - I can't - _remember_ anything!"

The sudden rise of her voice as she presses on makes her chattering more visible, and Sokka is confused by her abrupt burst - struggling with an inner-Sokka; whether to argue further on the subject or let her whole body obey to the silence that's taking over the both of them.

He finally sighs though, giving up to the third more-needed option and extends his hand to her arm, "C'mon, Mad Princess. Let's get you inside." Gradually, both of them stands up; well, he's standing up. She's more towards not trying to get herself passed out at this point. He puts his arms around her, pulling her body closer and at the same time, helps her to step inside the lodge. Her hair is already tickling his neck, and it's even more ... _disturbing_ now as she tries to snuggle herself closer, her nose barely coming in contact with the hollow part between his neck and collarbone.

"Please..." he says, restraining himself. "Don't - do that."

Once inside, she collapses on the couch at the living room, snuggling more to the heat of the room rather than his body. Sokka shakes the crawly feeling all over his body and skips to the kitchen, setting the kettle and firing it up. He looks back from the open kitchen to a still-trembling Azula, and sighs. Once the kettle signals that the water is boiled, he makes two cup of his Hot Cocoa.

He returns to the living room, putting the mugs on a table and shakes the Princess. "Hey," he calls. "I got something for you. To warm up."

She slowly flutters her eyelids open, trying to glare at him. He rewards her with a half-grin, "Hot Cocoa. I make one specially for you, so you definitely have to drink that now. Or else, it's not going to be special no more."

He sits her up carefully and lands himself next to her. She immediately, once again, lets her head falls on his shoulder. He quickly takes a mug of Hot Cocoa and urges her to sip it down. She does, and immediately calms down after that. Sokka watches in relief. _Good. She's not going to die_.

"Are you better now?"

She nods.

"What - " he hesitates, now just staring at her face. She's still trembling, but not as wild as she was a few moments ago. Her hair falls back to cover him from a full view, and his finger itch to just pull it back. He snaps out of it of course, cursing himself in his head: _oh no, not getting stupid over her. Especially her_. "What exactly did the Spirits do to your - " He dares himself to make eye-contact, if necessary, although she's not facing him. "To your brain, Azula?"

The use of her name surprises both party - Sokka's more perplex than anything, the name feels strange to come from his tongue. And she, although remain motionless otherwise, flinches at first. She ducks her head a little lower; something she always does when she's uncomfortable, he notices.

He frowns at that - is he making her uncomfortable? Even after all the things they went through? (Yeah, okay, probably he's exaggerating a bit right there. _Whatever_.) He exhales through his mouth, mess with his (practically) untangled hair and leans over to take his mug from the table.

"I - " she opens her mouth, that single syllable escapes from her is enough to make him snaps his head to face her. She looks like she's thinking hard, probably having an internal argument with herself on whether she should tell him, but she later closes her eyes and sighs out loud, probably coming to a final decision. With that, she says, "Perhaps it's best I keep the... _tale_ to myself."

Ouch. Rejection sure hurts. How can he let himself forget that, ever? Nevertheless, Sokka nods his head, throwing away any hope of ever... talking or understanding the Princess now. Not that it matters if he ever 'understands' her or something - sure, it would be kinda cool (and wacko) to decode how her brain works, but it's just - ugh, he's losing his mind. Spirits, he's been infected by Azula's madness. Someone, anyone, help!

He reminds himself that the drowsiness is slowly getting to him.

"Yeah, sure." He responds gruffly, swallowing a quarter of his Hot Cocoa down. "I understand, I guess."

"I ... think you misunderstood." She drawls out and Sokka narrows his eyes toward her. "I meant, I'll tell you - one day, perhaps. Not... not now. Not tonight."

"Really?"

Azula seems agitated by his hopeful tone - oh he forgets that the Princess is clearly allergic to any form of positivity, right. She nods her head and slowly sips on the warm drink, "If it will please you."

"Okay. I'm cool with that." He won't let her sour mood affect him, alright. "Sunlight, it is."

"What?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing. It's just - when you said you were going to tell me one day, and not tonight, I just figured you _would_ tell me. In the sunlight. It's a nice image, don't you think? You gather strength from the sun, which was opposite from water bender or the tribe, and it's probably when you're comfortable the most. And the idea of it - won't spook you so much, unlike during the night. Sunlight makes you spill secrets easier. Do you get me? I mean, but it's just useless-me talking, I make no sense sometimes."

"You are not useless." She spits, eyes close and face calm. "And yes, I do understand what you meant. I _will_ tell you someday, hopefully in the sunlight."

He grins (like a total idiot) at her, "You know, you're not so bad. Except, from you know, not-so-impressive resume based on what you did in the war - but you're okay."

"I suppose you expect me to appreciate your sentiment, and a sincere speech of 'thank you'?"

Sokka instead scoffs at her, "Woah, I said 'not bad', not 'a complete saint'. I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself."

"Very funny." She dryly responds.

"Hilarious." He replies back, a grin still on his face - and he notices the way the corner of her lips twitch slightly upwards. "You know, I think we have enough for the night. I almost kill you with my knife, and you almost got killed from the weather, and it's just a miracle that Zuko isn't here right now slaying me to the after-life."

There's a faint smirk on her lips, "Death hasn't been kinder, no."

Sokka raises his brow at her, "Obviously you'd enjoy that, wouldn't you? Death taking my soul away."

"I was talking about me," she bitterly responds, stare as cold as ice.

Something in Sokka's chest hurts - although he can't pin-point why. But he doesn't like it when she say those words, or the look she's expressing now. He frowns very badly up at her, "What do you mean by that?"

She looks remorse, scrunching up her nose at the discomfort. It takes a few moments, but she collides her eyes with his - her stare doesn't seem nice, but it won't hurt Sokka. He knows this. "It's - it's nothing."

"Bullshit."

She flinches at that, and only gives him an even more dangerous look. "I said I'll tell you one day, didn't I?" She clenches her teeth and looks away, almost as if in disgust. "In the sunlight."

"Okay then," Sokka rubs the back of his neck, gives up. Before he knows it, the words are stumbling out on his own. "I believe you."

He could imagine what she must be thinking on that moment - _believe? Her? Really?_ Man, she's really been screwing with his head. He puts his mug down on the table, stands up and offers his hand towards her. "You should go to sleep now. I'll help you."

She hesitates before slowly lacing her fingers with him. She puts the mug away and he pulls her up slowly to her feet - Azula takes a few sharp intake of air, shuddering slowly under her breath. With small steps, Sokka helps her to her door, careful not to let her fall down and crack her skull open or anything. Wouldn't want to get murdered by Zuko, now would he...

"Peppermint? Honestly?" She suddenly asks, expressionless but curious.

"Like an ice cream on lazy Summer days," he grins back at her and ignores the stupid pitch he messes up half-way through his sentence cause by the familiar tingle that's spreading all over his joints at their proximity. Spirits, someone's setting him up, he swears. This Princess might be the death of him.

And he's not even speaking literally - which, in his opinion, is more dangerous.

* * *

Next morning, Sokka finds himself getting tackled by Qu and Tovakk - cursing at them loudly for disturbing his peace, and for being in the room. "_What are you guys doing_?" he hisses, ruffling his hair and rubbing his eyes all at the same time, "If you're not on guard duty, you better have a fucking good explanation or else my father is going to find out about this and butcher your heads - and I sure as hell hope he'd allow those in the market, for a sell."

"Right, 'cause next to the naughty fantasy with the Fire Princess, I'm sure seeing your best friends' head at the market is your second best option to pass the time." Qu smirks down, not moving a muscle and looking like he has it all figure out. Tovakk chuckles, and Sokka throws a pillow, targeting specifically their heads.

But because it's morning and he's still a bit drowsy, his aim has been sloppy and both manages to dodge it just in time. It's Tovakk who turns around to fetch the pillow back, "Don't worry, brah. We've asked Katara's permission. She's waiting on us downstairs."

"What?" Sokka looks back up at them, frowning even more so. "What do you mean?"

"We've asked her for a day-out with you. It wasn't easy, but because of my charming and completely loveable personality, she finally gives in. C'mon, it's been too long since you hang out and be... _twenty-one_. You're young and you need to let out some steam, and Benji's already rounding up the gang. Everyone's pretty excited to see you again." Qu explains, looking smug while Tovakk rolls his eyes at him.

The other man throws a pillow back at Sokka and says, "Yeah. We're planning a thrown-ball fight. We need you in our team, you're the best offence there are."

Sokka momentarily reflects on the game; thrown-ball. It's not exactly the most fun game in the entire world, and it's rough and involves tackling (which is silly, because they're practically getting hurt because of a _ball_), but it passes the time and it serves good memory before. Sokka had fun because of it more than a couple of times. He squints back up at Tovakk, "Do we have a waterbender in our team?"

"Yeah. Qu manages to get the best: Kaka. But Korin's team got two; one of them is Tarra."

Sokka's eyes perk up, "We're up against them? Who else are in our team?"

"There's three of us, Kaka and Sini, I think."

Sokka's standing up now, tying his hair up. "We're still two person short. Put Benji and Lan in our team. They're quick. They'll sure to crack Korin's system, and I'm hoping on that charming and completely loveable personality to distract the waterbenders, Qu."

Qu grins, "That's the team leader we're hoping to roar back up. Ready to be twenty-one again?"

"I'm not twenty-one less than three weeks from now. You should know that."

"I'm rounding up the numbers here, brah. No need to be sensitive 'bout how old you're getting. The important thing is we're still young and now we can actually _act_ like it. All the responsibilities have given me a rash lately."

"Of course you're experiencing rash - you're allergic to responsibilities. Spirits, I'm surprised you could even say that word without your tongue swelling." Tovakk shakes his head, laughing.

Qu looks on sternly. "Comedy gold, Tovakk. You deserve an award."

"That's very heartwarming, guys. I guess I missed the wedding?" Sokka snaps at them, now by the door, waiting. "Unless you want me to leave and give you two some privacy, I suggest we make it out of this lodge quick before my sister changes her mind."

Qu and Tovakk trails behind him steadily, not exactly peeping a word besides from the banter they're having. Sokka shakes his head, still trying to take these all in. He climbs down the steps and sees Katara at the living room, looking tired but steady. He greets her, and she looks up; startled at first, before she just gives him a stare. "I smacked your friend with snow."

He's gonna guess Qu isn't telling the truth about being all charming and loveable. "Not hard enough, I think. He's still alive."

"Unfortunately," Katara nods, and Qu makes a face from besides him. "I'll stay around - I have to talk to Zuko, anyway, and since none of us really have anything to attend to, we'll have all day with each other to discuss a few matters out. I'll have him home before late evening, right boys?"

Both Qu and Tovakk nods; Qu grinning childishly while Tovakk merely expressing a warm expression. Katara dismisses them and before he knows it, he's winning a game of thrown-ball with his group of friends. He grins as his team scores another round, and momentarily curses himself for forgetting how well it is to just ... _hang around_. Sure, his friends are obnoxious sometimes - but, honestly, who wouldn't be at _that_ stage of an age, right - but other times, they're okay. They're fun and they tire him out just in the right way, and they get you to forget about things that used to cause him a headache.

"You throw like a girl," Qu's sister, who has the brightest eyes Sokka's ever seen, smirks at him - her whole face glinting in mischief. He seriously wants to burn a hole in Qu's lung when he forgets to mention that his sister is on the opposite team - 'cause when that girl competes, she _really_ competes.

There's no in between.

Either she's going to wear you out that you wish you were dead, or you're very good and you'll beat her.

So far, the latter option has been on Sokka's side. He smirks back up at the eighteen-year old and once again, silently, admires the blue pupil of her eyes before drawling, "Yeah you should probably hold all insults until after I win the game, Renka. I mean, if it'll help you sleep at night."

Renka laughs, throwing her head back, "Wow. What a gentleman. And here I thought _you_ were going to make me fall asleep tonight instead of my lonely thoughts."

"Are you offering me a one night stand?"

"If you're offering those abs, I guess I am." She teases again.

Sokka rolls his eyes though he's still grinning and dodges just in time, taking the ball before he throws it again at Tovakk, watching as the man uses his quick reflexes, Benji distracting the waterbender, and finally, a goal. The game ends. Sokka cheers and goes up to Renka, spins her around, grasps her jaw and kisses her full on the lips.

Renka is clearly surprised, but because she's smart and quick, smirks and kisses him back with just the same amount of force. Sokka pulls away just when her tongue's too eager to explore his mouth. He pants, looking back at those blue eyes, and whispers, "Just a little sneak peek of what you're _not_ getting tonight."

She chortles and rolls her eyes as he lets her go, "_Bitch_."

A few guys come and claps Sokka on the back, hugging him in triumph. Qu stares at him, part gleeful, another part curious. "Did my sister teased you?"

"Yes."

"She has done that to a couple of guys and I am beginning to feel uncomfortable about it."

"You think she's casting a spell on us?"

"You betcha'. She's gathering an army of men to take me down and take the place as the head of our clan."

"As if she needs an army," Sokka laughs, getting tackled by Tovakk who's still astounded by their win. He laughs some more, now hearing as Benji announcing that he'll pay for the cactus juice.

_Man, it's good to be young_.

* * *

**Thrown-ball do not exist, and the little kissing scene between Sokka and Renka has its purpose. I guess. **

**Urm, okay guys, I have an announcement: I am getting a little depressed lately about my writing - and I'm not sure if I should continue this story any further if no one's going to read it. I mean, I invest a lot of time writing this and I've neglected a few of my other stories (from my other account) just to set out this Sokka/Azula's plot development. My friends are saying that I should stop writing this, but it's just a sad idea you know because this story has an amazing story arc that I can't just pass around as if it's just another plain story. 'Cause it's not. **

**I have a strong morale that I'm about to break if my will-power isn't steady enough and I succumb to their ideas. (Yeah, humans do that - they get into each other's mind and poison your thoughts) I'm really frustrated right now because I'm torn between continuing a story that nobody really reads, and stop writing it before I'm disappointed. I know, at this point, you're probably viewing me as a whiny little midget, but in any case, before anything is decided and final: I would want to thank anyone who has read, reviewing, putting favourites and alerting this story - I am eternally grateful. **

**So okay I don't know - I'm still pondering over these and let's hope we'll see another chapter soon.**

**Love, Bella**.


	5. Chapter 4

**The Taste of Metallic and Burn**

**Sokka never imagines himself as one to be as comfortable to accept the fact he's living with Zuko and his psychopath sister, but he's tolerating it. Until burned corpses marked for Azula starts appearing up on the front door like presents. Something is up, and Sokka might get more than what he bargains for.**

**Four**

_Show me a smile then,_  
_Don't be unhappy, can't remember when_  
_I last saw you laughing_...

"Yo, Mad Princess! Open up!"

Sokka clenches his fist and thumps again on the wooden door, his eyes focusing lazily on the tray that he manages to balance with his other hand, where a bowl of rice, soup and meat (all heated up by Zuko) and two drinks (one is clear water, the other is Hot Cocoa - of course, that's his) are placed neatly together. Sokka lets his fingers that were in a fist spread out and presses it against the door after a while, waiting for her response.

There's some shuffling, and then: "Go away."

Sokka instantly frowns, and thud the door again, this time glaring at it as if it's the Princess herself. "Nuh-uh, you're not getting rid of me _that_ easily!"

There's more shuffling at the other side of the door, and when Sokka's about to knock for the umpteenth time, it swings open. It's just a good thing he has a quick reflex and stops half-way through his action, or else his fist is definitely going to come in contact with the Fire Princess' nose - and we all know how _that_ would end; he would be signing his death certificate for sure. He grins at Azula's scowling face, "You look chipper."

Azula doesn't imitate his grin, "You're very troublesome."

"It comes with being incredibly irresistible and awesomely good-looking," He steps forward, pushing the door a little wider. "Can I come in? I'm very lonely and you need to eat. We can even pretend that you can actually tolerate my presence and I have amnesia and totally forget about your 'honorary role' during the War."

Azula raises one eyebrow, stepping in his way and stopping him. "I don't believe I can comply to this request, Water Tribe Boy."

"Oh come on, I don't have anything else to do anyway. Might as well hang out with you - plus, isn't it weird that we seem friendlier during the nights, and not the day. I think it's weird. It's like we're cursed to only be on the speaking terms after the midnight. And well, I'm here to break the curse." He glances at the tray on his hand, "Plus, I struck a deal with Katara and Zuko. They're worried sick about you... _not eating_. What's up with that - you sick, or something?"

It seems that Azula only deepens her frown, but he can't actually guess correctly because - as usual - she's not meeting his gaze. Her eyes are sharp, that's for certain, but it's cast away somewhere on his shoulder instead of his face. There's lines between her brows, faint wrinkles to show how displease she is hearing those names. Sokka wonders how deep her hatred truly is towards her brother and his sister - after all, they're the ones who defeated her in the War. "My brother is an oaf, and that Water Tribe peasant is simply a fool. I am not ill."

"Oh wow, bad-mouthing siblings now are we?" He narrows his eyes at her - slightly offended that she calls Katara a peasant, but knows well that he can't really do anything to stop it. Plus, it's better that she's just calling names - not really out there to take Katara's heart out of her body or something.

"Okay, let me join the game - Zuko's a total snob because he has all the money in the world and he won't lend some to me, and Katara is a bossy brat that thinks everyone has the same mindset as her and expects every single person to follow her lead. And really dramatic too." He kinda grins by the end, proud somewhat, "Ah, that was fun. Trash talking siblings. We should list that as 'Things Sokka and Azula Do'. Maybe start a two-man club or something."

Azula's lip doesn't even twitch into a smile - in fact, she casts her eyes lower; probably around his forearm and sighs, "You are an abomination."

"I'm guessing that's your way of saying I've passed to be a member of our club now?"

She doesn't say anything more, merely takes a step back - albeit limping ever so slightly - and giving him space to enter. Sokka doesn't know why he's still surprised when he takes in the whole ... _scenery_ (is that the right word to use? scenery? He isn't sure) of her room: books and scrolls are everywhere, stacked together in a neat jumble on every available space. Some books and a few scrolls are scattered over the floor, open and in a formation - a circle.

He's going to take a guess that she's been spending the last few hours studying those stuff on the floor.

He moves carefully, not wanting to trip on any of the books like the Fire Princess did. It's one thing when she fell and hurt herself - someone can still carry her around; like, him for an example. But what if _he_ falls down? Who's going to carry him, then? Zuko unquestionably won't, and he doubts the Princess' small frame could handle his weight.

Sokka lets his eyes travel across the room again, analysing anything as he could. Oddly, her bed looks untouched, no dirty clothes in sight - if there's any clothes, it's folded neatly and cast aside, seemingly to blend in with the gloom surrounding, the shadows. He glances briefly back at the Princess, but continues to step on until he reaches the bedside table - where three thick books are stacked together. Sokka pushes the books slightly to the side, giving space for the tray.

When he turns side-ways, he sees the Princess is already moving back at the circle of books and scrolls, eyes narrow and stare harsh, probably searching for the pages she was on before having him interrupted her.

Sokka stands there, almost awkwardly, and he notices that the door is left ajar. _At least Katara and Zuko will hear me scream if she ever tries to strangle me_. He flops down on the bed with a soft thud and he notices how Azula sneers, but only slightly as she realises what he's done - but otherwise, she doesn't say anything else and settles on the floor to flip a page on one of the books.

"So...," Sokka takes the mug from the bedside table, slurping. "How are you this very fine day?"

"I was absolutely at peace until you open your mouth, Water Tribe Boy."

"Ouch," he murmurs, now checking up the books that are in his range of sight. "You read every book there are," he points out, silently noting it at the back of his head. Along these years of growing up, Sokka can categorise himself into a lot of ... _labels_: a warrior, a survivor and a funny guy (probably even tolerably handsome - 'cause he can't sound to cocky now, could he), but being a bookworm has never been on the list. Sure, he's pretty into poetry and such, but just cocooning yourself from the world and spend the rest of the day behind a book? Yeah, he's not a fan.

But he's got to admit, watching someone else; _particularly the Princess_, just sitting there, indian-style, face pale against the semi-darkness room with a hint of the snow scenery by the background - she looks perfectly contrast, books everywhere, a few strands of pitch black hair falling messily; she looks _stunning_. Sokka lets a smile slip - but just a small one, "What, you stole the local library or something? 'Cause the amount of scrolls and books here are ... unbelievable. Do you read everything?"

She's quiet for a moment - and the only sound that passes in the atmosphere is the sound of her fingers flipping another page of a book, "Yes. Everything, as long as I could just get my hands on it."

"Do you read like, I don't know, romance novels like that? Or like, some historical, fact-filled ones?"

"All of them. Fiction and non-fictions." She answers now moving her head to read a scroll by her right side, "As I've informed you: anything I could get my hands on."

"You look desperate," he utters meekly, slurping more on his drink as he leans back against the bed, lifting one leg and stretch it out on the mattress, without his mind really registering his actions.

There's a pause, but she never once glances back at him. "I am."

"Is this... Does this have anything to do with - you know, the fact that the Spirits ... break your brain?"

Azula clenches her jaw, and her words are harsher as she exclaims it - but she still refuses to meet his gaze, moving her head to the side and read from another book. "Yes."

Sokka cringes at the way her whole body tense, but at the sudden shift in the atmosphere reminds him of the earlier conversation he has nearly twenty minutes ago with Tarro. He had just managed to slip himself away from the gang without anyone noticed and came back to the lodge, where Tarro stood, guarding. He had greeted him, and the older man had been more than okay to greet back.

Then, they talked about Tarro's older brother and his sister in law who were just blessed with the news that she's going to have a baby - and Sokka remembers his whole body shaking from the excitement, even though he wasn't much of a family member, merely just a friend. He can't really recall how - but he remembers seeing Tarro frowned at once, and the way he grabbed Sokka's hand all so suddenly, pulling down the gloves to reveal to him the faint bruise he never noticed before.

Sokka now traces his fingers over the small bruises on his wrist - the bruises from Azula's nails, sinking deeper than he thought it did into his skin from yesterday's night. He wonders how it hadn't drawn blood.

Tarro's voice still floats in his mind, beating on him - his own reply becomes nothing but a muffled cry, barely a noise in the distant. "_She's just using you. Everything she said - she's just lying. She isn't real, Sokka_." In Tarro's eyes, there were betrayal that still burns Sokka right to his core - he still couldn't figure out why his tongue weren't quick enough to say that he and Azula weren't even in a relationship. Tarro pressed on regardless, "_What you have ain't love. It's insanity_."

He lets the memory stops there when he realises the Fire Princess is talking to him, "... you have a ... _female companion_."

What.

"Huh?" he tries to rephrase the question in his head while Azula begins to stare at him oddly: _I didn't realise you have a female companion_, his mind counters and Sokka pauses immediately afterwards, confused. Female companion? What's she even talking - "Wait, are you talking about a girlfriend? Nah, Suki and I broke up a long time ago."

"I - I wasn't -" she catches her words, then shakes her head, "Never mind." She's quiet then, her eyes are back on a scroll that is now on her laps.

Sokka narrows his eyes toward her, "Are you hiding something from me? You're not talking about Suki, are you?"

She seems to be holding her breath, but her posture remains calm - well, as calm as she tries to be, he guesses. Sokka can see the restrain she's trying to maintain in her whole composure, and has a feeling somehow that his gaze is slowly peeling those control off. "I saw you... kissing a local Water Tribe girl," she admits, her eyes focusing elsewhere.

His eyes widen in shock, "How... how would you know?"

She gazes quickly at the large window that seems to be the only thing that's illuminating the whole room, "I have the perfect view of your whole activity."

Sokka slightly smirks, "So, you were checking me out?"

"Hardly," she snarls, because even the slightest idea of 'checking out' a non-bender Water Tribe Boy must be extremely revolting to her, he thinks - and smirks some more. Ah, how the Fire Princess amuses him. "I was merely passing through the window when I noticed. As I mentioned before, I didn't believe someone as ... _cumbersome_ as you could obtain a female companion."

"Okay, Imma stop you right there," he chuckles, and sees the way she snaps her eyes at him, curiosity dancing dimly behind her almost-vacant eyes, "I didn't _obtain_ anybody. I guess that's your weird way of saying I'm in a relationship or something - which I'm not. She's a friend's sister and it was just ... for fun, I guess?" Sokka says, deciding that the Manic Princess won't need any further details. "It was nothing. Why with the sudden interest in my love life, huh? You jealous?"

She doesn't even flinch - but she does make that move where she ducks her head lower and lets the rest of her un-tied bangs to fall and cover her face from his view, "Your query holds no such rationale; why should I be jealous?"

Sokka grins, "Because you like me."

"I do not like you."

"Okay, maybe you don't - not entirely," He admits, slurping more onto his Hot Cocoa, "But you tolerate me enough and that is why I believe Zuko and Katara has given me the job of making sure you eat. C'mon, eat. You need it. No one's really attractive when they're just walking skeletons." _And plus, it'll be a shame because hey, you're kinda beautiful and I wouldn't want you to starve even if like, you're a __super villain_.

She only gives him a quick, intense, death stare before she passes her look onto a random book, ignoring him.

He sighs, and sits up straighter, "_Please_... eat." That catches her attention as she gradually looks up from her book, eyes questioning and mouths pursing. Sokka licks his dry lips, now letting his feet touches the floor while he sits appropriately - thinking that maybe if he'll get out of the room, she'll finally eat. "I'm actually ... worried about you, not eating. Yeah, it's strange, but I noticed alright - and you, you barely consume anything through any meal and - at first I thought it's because you actually believe I would put animal's food into your meal but you're too smart for that, and you're _really_ thin, Azula - " once again, the use of her name on his tongue sends a weird impact on both of them.

He continues anyway, "- _so thin_ that I don't think it's normal for anyone. I just - " he sighs, scratching the side of his neck, trying to find the perfect word, "I'll leave you alone, if that's what it takes for you to... eat."

He starts to stand up, bringing his mug when Azula shuts her book with a thud, and Sokka gazes up at her, eyebrows shoot up in a questionable manner. She just stacks up her books that was in a circle a second ago and rolls the scrolls together, "Sit." She says, with her tone clip and precise, then her eyes are dragged to meet with his and she says again, "I'll eat."

"You...," Sokka looks around - as if trying to search for _another_ Princess Azula because like hell this young woman in front of him just _listen to what he said_ and actually _isn't disagreeing_ and not only that, wants _him to accompany her_. Spirits, the world must be coming to an end. "... want me to stay?"

"I wouldn't want my brother and the Waterbender girl to question you anymore than they question my real motives, whatever that may be. Sit. At least you would know I didn't just burn my food away."

She walks pass him, sits on the bed and puts the tray on her laps. He nods slowly to himself, assuring that this isn't some trick she's using against him or his mind or anything, and trails back his steps and takes a sit next to her. She doesn't move away at the lack of space between them - or the sudden warmth traveling from his body to hers, and hers to his, as he levels down next to her - she doesn't even shrink away from the contact.

Sokka silently cheers for the slow progress of their ... _whatever it is that they're having_.

When she picks up the bowl of rice in her small palm, he can't help but to blurt out, "Is it still hot?"

She shakes her head simply, closes her eyes and judging from the slight wrinkles forming on the bridge of her nose - he could gather she's trying to heat the food herself. It takes a few silent moments, but after a while, he could detect the smell of hot, nice rice - and by the small smile on her chapped lips, he knows she has successfully uses firebend to heat it up.

He kinda grins at that, and just continues to - watch her, you know?

She's kinda interesting to look at - and she's fairly ... sorta ... good-looking too, so it isn't exactly a sore scene.

Then, his mouth falls and he remembers Tarro's word again: _"...she isn't real, Sokka. It's insanity_." And he remembers his eyes and his bruise and suddenly it stings more than it should - he isn't exactly sure what stings; his head or his chest or the purplish-blue skin on his wrists - but he knows _something is definitely stinging_ and the longer he looks at her, the longer he thinks about the dark lashes that surrounds her eyes, or how dark exactly is the colour of her hair and how more close can he really get without her trying to cower herself away, it stings even more.

Because somewhere along Tarro's story - despite the lines where the older man is convinced that he's hooking up with Azula - he thinks he is actually falling for his words. Is Azula tricking him?

"What?" comes her sharp reply.

Wait. Did he just said that out loud? He stares at her, unblinking. "I - I was just ... wondering aloud."

She nods, "That much I could understand."

"Yeah..." he answers weakly, averting his eyes as he extends his legs forward, putting his mug on the bedside table. He takes a shuddering intake of breath, trying to grasp any bits of courage that somehow leaps away him under the presence of the Fire Princess next to him. Swallowing, he tries, "So... are you?"

"What?" this time, her tone is gentler - albeit still sharp and piercing right through his very soul.

"Are you - you know - are you... tricking me?"

"What foolish notion have rattled your mind this time about, Water Tribe boy?"

"It just...," he sighs, groans. "There's this friend of mine who said something about you tricking me to be your puppet of evil or something, and he even inserted a story about his cousin who had this whacko as a wife, and at first the wife was nothing shorts of crazy, but then the war really erupted and her family was killed and she went completely nuts and she dragged him into her psycho world and then the man was convinced that all he did was for her, because of their love and everything went to hell - and I - I don't want to end up as that man!"

Azula is oddly quiet throughout his outburst, like she's trying to take everything in. Finally, she responds, "And what happened to the man and his wife?"

Sokka momentarily remembers himself asking the same question after Tarro tells the story half-way through, curious. For a moment, he sees the graveness of Tarro's eyes, the hollowness of his cheeks - and all of it were growing as seconds progress, as Tarro recalled what happened to his cousin, gloom emitted with each words he drawled. And Sokka - he was there to hear and bare it all, and now even repeats the same thing back to Azula, "She takes him to a mission in hoping to end her family's murderer. He ends up getting killed while covering for her, even when she was chocking in her own blood."

"That was... pitiful." Is all she could say, after a long pause and a very uncomfortable atmosphere starts to settles in the air.

He looks on sadly, "Yeah, it was."

He drags his feet across the floor, thinking of the story, thinking of Tarro, even thinking about ... the possibility of Azula and him, which is just insane, but hey - nothing is really impossible, right? He feels the question bubbles up behind his throat, just aching to come out: _are you tricking me?_ But he forces it down, knowing how stupid it really sounds.

He steals a glance at the pale-face young woman besides him again and sadly wonders of how he - with all of his wits and charm and strength - isn't made for these. The murders. Tarro's story. This really heavy tension in the air. _Her_.

Sokka honestly isn't made for these.

He sighs out again, drinking the last drop of his Hot Cocoa - even though it has lost its warmth for quite some time now. Out of nowhere, Azula speaks up, "Do you believe I would do such a thing as the woman did?"

He notes how her tone isn't sad, or grieving, or offended, or even evil-like: it's just straight-forward and clear and honest. He isn't sure if he likes the sound of her monotone voice better, or one that holds an emotion; probably neither, but it doesn't exactly matter now, does it? He lets his chin drops, "I don't know. I guess. Would ... you?"

Suddenly, she puts her rice of bowl down - she's only finished like a quarter and a little bit more, but it's more than Sokka ever hopes for, and so he doesn't complain - and sets her tray away. Her hands quickly latches onto a napkin, wiping her mouth with it, "I cannot promise that I wouldn't hurt you at one point or another, because I am highly certain that I will." There's bitterness when she says this, and Sokka can see the hurt flashes over her eyes before she flutters it close.

"Either physically or mentally or both, I wouldn't know - but," she puts her napkin down, eyes staring straight ahead. "To use you in that way... I would never allow myself to execute such contemptible actions."

_Right_, Sokka wants to say. _You're just saying that_. Because, really, the obvious interpretation of "I could never use you" in Azula's language must meant "I could never use you because then Zuko would personally hand my brain for the Spirit's evil use to break it even more and extend my years of sufferings". That has to be it, because this is Azula, and what else could it mean?

Sokka breaks into a grin and lightly nudges her, "I guess I do have a soft spot in your heart, huh?"

There's something gleeful that dances over her expression, leering her lips into a kinda wicked smirk, "I wasn't aware of the knowledge that you believe an existence of a heart within me."

He chuckles nervously, feeling guilt lapping on his stomach because in fact, he did once say that about her - the fact that he thinks she didn't have a heart - but that was when he was a silly little kid and never knows the Princess is actually ... capable of _acting normal_ (and not monstrous like he always imagined her to be), "Haha. Azula made a funny."

She ignores his last comment and walks herself to her closet, "Do you know the whereabouts of the Avatar?"

He shakes himself out of his thoughts and looks away, "Yeah... I think he's hanging around with Toph and Iroh. The locals are doing some kind of show, or something." He shrugs, pretending that he doesn't care about the increasing rate of space she's putting between them. "Why?"

"He and I have a scheduled appointment together."

"Appointment? Like a date?" Something in his chest sinks, but Sokka pretty much ignores it. "Didn't know you're into the guy."

"He's taking me to the local's clinic, or medical centre." She answers instead, now releasing her hair and tying it back up even more properly into a bun. Just like how she used to appear during the war. Just skinnier now, and ... not out there to dominate a town or something. At least, he hopes not.

"Oh? And he agrees to let you go near kids?"

The dry sarcasm doesn't miss her as Sokka notices a dark shadow passes over her face before she covers herself with a coat. "Children are troubling, yes. But I'm sure I'll endure it and survive through the day."

"Do you want me...," he munches on his lips, "to - I don't know - follow you or something?"

"You are not entitled to, but if that is your wish, do not let me get in your way, Water Tribe Boy."

"Well, you _do_ need someone to carry you around - "

"No. No carrying." She shakes her head firmly.

"Okay then," he says, taking the tray in his grasp. "How about I just help you walk? It'll take longer to get to the clinic, but... it'll get you there."

She doesn't say anything for a long while, "That will be helpful."

Sokka stands up and heads to the door, "Well, let me just put these food away and I'll leave you... to get ready or something." With that, he closes the door and walks himself to the kitchen; figuring out if the '_thanks_' he hears just moments before he stalks himself out of her room is real, or imaginary. He finally settles with, "I just need more sleep," as an answer.

* * *

"So, what you're saying is, she's done this before?"

Aang nods, after smiling at an old lady he just treated. He cleans up his hand, "Yeah. It starts about, two years back, I think. She starts requesting that she would like to follow me if I ever go and try to help around at a clinic or a medical centre."

Sokka looks on weirdly as Azula is trying to note something a man is saying from across the room, her face solemn. "She hasn't ... killed anybody so far?"

Aang shrugs, "Not that I know of. She's actually okay, if you ask me. Sure, she needs help at warming up to children and as she claims, 'needy' old people, but other than that, she's pretty professional. I think she'll even consider working alongside Katara with these healing stuff - I mean, I've been meaning to ask her about it. Do you think it's a good idea? For her to be working with Katara?"

"Um, I don't know. I guess, you could discuss about it?" Sokka shakes his head, playing with a random tool of medical supply on the table, "But - what can _she_ do anyway in a healing centre? She's not even a water bender!"

"But Sokka," Aang kinda whines, "A firebender can heals too."

"Can they?"

"Of course they can. It's far more complicated than waterbending, of course - but it's not impossible. In fact, Azula's been studying a lot about that. I think it's something she considers doing."

"Well, that's ... good, I guess. Does Zuko knows?"

"I think he notices, but he never says anything about it. You know what I think?" Aang beams widely at him, "I think it's great. I think... it's a good thing I didn't take her bending away. Even with her case, I think she has a better chance at starting her life again. You know, _good_ and _nice _and_ kind_."

"Nice and kind doesn't suit her."

"What, why not?" The Avatar's smile falters slightly, "She's been kind to you."

"It was not kindness," a snarl comes from behind and Azula comes in between them, her eyes on the notes in her hand. "I merely grow tired of going against such witless creatures and slaying their heads off. And here's the notes I gather from patient number #16, this one could be better if you use your waterbending, Avatar."

Sokka turns to her and pokes her arm, "It was kindness. You like me."

"No. You are dense and given to proffer with any information that flits through your thick head."

"Which is why you like me. We talked about this earlier."

"I do not... like you."

"Do I hear stuttering? You do _soooo_ like me!"

"And immature," grumbles Azula, walking back to the man with a straight face. Sokka grins widely at her, knowing full well he's won the conversation. Aang looks at them with some kind of serenity rests on his face. He brushes her off, and concentrates on the young Avatar, "So tell me again, has she ever tries to... heal anyone with her firebending?"

Aang seems to still be smiling gently, "No. Not yet. But I've seen her do it - I mean, initiate movements that resembles to the steps of healing a wound, but she hasn't ... try to do anything with it."

"Do you think she will?" Sokka returns back to play with the medical tools, "Would you allow her if she will?"

"If she must, I won't stop her." Aang then turns his body away, "I'm sorry Sokka, let me just check out this man first."

"Yeah, yeah - take your time. I'll just... be around."

Aang nods and walks to where Azula is, easing down and taking a sit across from the man, smiling up and probably explaining what he'll do to him, or something. The clinic isn't crowded today - well not as crowded as it was when the war was in full swings - but it gathers a few people. Some are children, but most of the people today are full grown adults; others even older.

Aang and Azula seems to be working well together. Too invests in the art of all medicals, there's an easy lightness that brightens up Azula's face; at one point, she even cracks a smile as she glances over at Aang, who smiles wider as a respond - he probably just shares a joke with the patient or something - and then she shakes her head, still smiling, and notes more onto the piece of parchment she's holding - even allowing Aang to comes close to her and checks the content of her data without her flinching or shrinking away.

Sokka pulls his gaze from them, trying to beat down the anger that's slowly building up inside of him. He wrecks his mind to remember back if _she_ ever _smiles_ at him like that - smirk, leer, sneer, yeah, she does that a lot; but an easy smile? Well, that's as rare as the existence of Zuko actually laughing at one of his absolutely funny jokes. Sokka sighs.

_Why wouldn't she smile at Aang?_ That boy's a charmer. He once sweeps Sokka's own sister off her feet, having the girl sighs and swoons on nights when Aang is away to help villagers right after the war (you know, before the really weird and strange break-up). And Toph always has a certain fondness over Aang, despite their clashing personalities; he means, if it's anyone that could break Toph's tough exterior wall, it would definitely be the young Avatar, no doubt.

And if anyone could charm the sanity out of Azula, why wouldn't it be Aang? Why shouldn't Azula be attracted to him? He is handsome and wise, possessing a light personality with an enough touch of coolness that can cope with all of her ... dark and confusing aura.

_Sokka, on the other hand, is "dense" and "immature" and all-things that are not-Aang_, he thinks with a mental snarl that's just as equally powerful as Azula's snarl in reality. He huffs._ Yeah, well, whatever - at least Renka thinks I have amazing abs_.

In spite of that, Sokka lets his eyes gaze back at the image of the Fire Princess with the Avatar; her eyes concentrating hard as Aang's hands move swiftly, the water that envelops his fingers glimmering in a beautiful glow. His stomach churns dangerously and Sokka immediately knows it's not because of his Hot Cocoa. He groans as that fact finally registers itself clearly in his whole system.

_Crap_. He's developed a crush on Azula.

* * *

**5,643 words counted. Guys, my heart totally breaks reading all those reviews and I _just know_ that I shouldn't give up then because now I'm absolutely sure this story is worth it; even if only _one_ other person is reading this. I was in tears, like literally. I was just ... a complete mess. Thank you, for being there when I needed you guys the most.**

**Anyways, back to the story: I don't know if you guys will get confused, but the first part of the story was supposed to set right after Sokka hang out with his local friends - and the sequence of events followed up like this: he met Tarro, Tarro warned him about Azula and told him the story of his cousin, Sokka finally walked into the lodge, Zuko and Katara asked him to coax Azula into eating and that's how he ended up banging on Azula's door at the beginning of this chapter - I hope that clears stuff up.**

**And these are all my review responds to those anonymous reviewers who I couldn't answer through PM**:

**Lord Annaymoss**: Okay, seriously. You're the one who set the tears, dude, because your reviews were just _asdfghjklfghjk_ like I can't even function properly for the next hour. I mean, I've always liked when someone pointed out what they really enjoy throughout reading my fiction because it makes me turn into a complete blob of fangirliness and ugh... I just, like, I want to hug you and stuff okay. Thanks for reviewing, and telling me your opinion of my story. I mean, I appreciate it like mad. And yeah... I'll just walk away now because I know I must look like a complete creep to you.

**Guest**: Thank you for leaving the awesome review. Honestly though, I wasn't sure how I was portraying the characters - especially Azula because I have to make her look broken but at the same time, still snappy as hell and sometimes her character is too much for me to handle and my brain just went overload and breaks down and I need some time (and a very good cup of hot cocoa) to be able to just ... _write her out_. But I'm soooo glaaaadddd you find them to your liking! I was so happy reading your review. Really. I hope you'll stick around for the next update!

**tone**: I really like how your review is very short and simple and straight to the point and just like, "I'll read every chapter." I'm going to give it to you man, you're cool. Like, seriously. But thanks though for reviewing 'cause that's just awesome and I really did find comfort in what you said. Thank you.

**john**: First of all, can I just tell you how much I like your name? I mean, I've always liked someone with a simple one-syllable kind of name; like yours or Jack or Ray. I know I'm being completely random, so just ignore that part, shall we? And for your question: yes, most of Sokka's friends are from the North Pole - but some of them, I imagine as Qu, are from the South. And yes, I know that they have no friends their own age as you stated, but I'd like to think that they are still children their age that just _weren't_ _their friends_ during the war, and they became friends after Sokka returned to the South to build it up. I hope this answers your question, and thanks for the review. I hope you'll be around for the next chapter!

**Guest (ii)**: Thanks for the reviews, such as yours, I have decided to not end this story, anon. And thank you sooo muchhh for saying that it's a good story. That definitely cheers me up. I'm totally passing you a virtual hug right now and hoping that you aren't seeing me as a dorky girl or just a really weirdo person.

**Anonymous**: You rip my heart apart (thank god I'm only speaking in a metaphoric sense) because your review just ... ugh. Thank you so much for leaving me one and telling me that my story is unique. It's actually a very complicated story if I ought to be completely honest, but it was fun building up the characters with the plot. And I'm really glad you like it. I really do hope you'll stay tune for the next chapter.

**Guest (iii)**: Soooo... I updated! I'm sorry for the length of the chapter; I know it's shorter than the previous ones, and the content is probably... not quite enough, but I insert a really good portion of Sokka/Azula, so I hope it could make up with what this update lacks. In any case, I was really pumped receiving your review - and it's very short and also cute - because you're one of the many people who stand today as the reason why this fiction wasn't discontinued. So, I thank you. I really appreciate your opinions.

**And for the rest of the signed-reviewers, I already PM to you to express my deepest gratitude, but if for some reason I fucked up and you _didn't_ receive it: I want to thank you. It was because what you said that convinced me my work was not just... a piece of trash, or something that resembled dust; it was because of you I realised why I was writing this in the first place - first, (obviously) because of my ever-growing love towards Sokka/Azula. Second, because I _wanted_ to. You guys, you better know that you made someone smile today and that shit is a good fucking feeling, okay - you made me cry and laugh and smile and ... ugh, I just wish I could just send you guys some cookie or something. And this doesn't just go out to the reviewers - to those who alerted or favorited or just scrolled down to read my story: you're appreciated too. **

**Anyway, thanks again - really, I can't thank you enough - because you guys are just fucking awesome and don't you dare forget it. And if any of you are from Philippines; I just want to let you know that I am here praying for you every single day and I hope you are doing well and just, hang on, alright. I love you. Stay strong. #PRAYFORPHILIPPINES**.


	6. Chapter 5

**Five**

_I could stay with you forever  
__And never realise the time_...

"It's a small crush. Just a tiny, _eenie-meanie_ crush. Nothing major."

He huffs out when the only sound that comes bouncing back to him is his own voice, and even _that_ comes in a distant echo (almost as if the whole universe is emphasising on how _pathetic_ he's being, not that he is willing to admit that). He slightly glares at the sky - now glimmering with hint of the ever-so-beautiful pattern of the _aurora australis_ - as he sits at his mother's spot, his fingers brushing on the ice numbly, unconsciously, the memory of his mother's eyes play on dully - and despite the ache he's feeling spreading across his chest at the realisation that (once again) the woman was no longer with him physically, he smiles.

Sokka likes to think that Kya is up there somewhere, probably smiling down at him as she dances along with the southern lights - she's probably even trying to give him advices on how he's feeling, but alas, there's nothing neither could do. He just hopes his mother, or her soul or whatever, is at peace, wherever she may be.

"Yeah. Nothing to worry about," he mumbles, dropping his chin nearly to the hollowness between his clavicle.

He closes his eyes as the coldness start to take its effect on him - it always happen at one point, if he stops moving and his whole body just doesn't seem all too bother to emit enough warm - and he feels as if ice are beginning to form by the edge of his lips, collected around his lashes and brows. He wonders how the Princess would have been like, if she were here - and that image brought a (not that he's enjoying the feel of it on his face) grin, because that _girl can't stand these weather_.

_But_, he thinks almost sadly to himself, looking back at the aurora - nearly wishing that somehow he could see his mother among those beautiful light - _these beauty is worth it_.

Sokka lets the silence envelops the whole atmosphere and he spends the next few minutes - _really_, he convinces himself, _it hasn't been an eternity although strangely, yes, it awfully feels like it_ - just staring up, somewhere in between, he'd even concentrate on his own breathing; the loud heave of breath here and there. He suddenly feels his whole muscle shifts and tenses and thinks to himself of how long it was since his last practice, since he last casual spare.

His whole situation doesn't seem like it's going to go any less crazy than it already has been, so might as well find a way to let it all out, huh?

His mind slowly deflects to his memory of the evening, and he _actually_ _feels_ how his stomach just sinks, just a little bit, at the memory of a certain Fire Princess - and just, the whole evening you know? He realises that, yeah, he likes her - but what could he do with that? He can't just buy flowers, put on some fancy suit, and kiss her, or something. Because first, she'd burn the flowers down. Second, she'd probably spit on his suit. Third, she'd zap him with her lightning if he ever much as touches her and then, probably cowers herself in one dark corner for the rest of her life.

Azula... he realises, isn't _well enough_ for a relationship.

He brushes his face - and if there's any collected snow on the corner of his lips or in between his skin, he doesn't see it falling. He merely push himself to stand, give a last glance at the aurora, and closes his eyes just for that one short second because he swears (_he swears_) he could feel his mother's beaming up at him. "I know, Mom," he says to the wind, opening his eyes once again. "I won't."

He isn't entirely sure what he means by that, or why he says it aloud to the wind - but he knows the reassurance act he's trying to pull? Yeah, not exactly working.

* * *

Next morning comes soon enough - or rather, near-afternoon.

Once he realises his sleeping pattern has finally revert to its original schedule, Sokka honestly doesn't know if he should be relief, or wholly disappointed by it. He's never enjoyed mornings before (wouldn't be enjoying it so much now), but getting up in the morning for the sake of meeting his friends at breakfast (or at least Aang, and Zuko if he ever gets just enough sleep) won't be all much of a grieve experience to go through. It would feel like old times. Back when they're just scrawny kids trying to get the Avatar ready (_trying to get everybody ready, really_) for the ultimate battle.

Sokka refuse to indulge in past memory when he stands up and get himself clean. He is still groggy when his fingers fold over a pocket of a coat, and his eyes are hazy when he ties his hair behind, but he still pushes himself out of his room anyway; a duty is a duty (whatever _that_ has become over these past few days), and he's not a man to just skip his responsibility. Plus, Katara says that it's medically impossible to sleep for three days (unless of course, you're under a coma) - so he shouldn't even _try_.

Whatever. He skips down the stairs, and lifts his chin up when he's a few steps away from ground level.

He's actually surprised to see Zuko, Katara, Aang and Toph around the dining table - and (okay, roll the drums - the most unexpected thing ever) Azula present, although immerse in some book that must have been filled with puzzles of sort, because she has a quill in one hand, and she is most definitely not giving him as much as even a bat of an eye - unlike _other_ people on the table, who seems to be showering him with attentions.

It's Katara who quips, "You're up early."

Aang greets him from besides Zuko (who oddly sits _across_ his sister, instead of _next_ to her) - his face all warm and soft, and Sokka immediately remember the embarrassing anger (_jealousy_) he has over the poor dude, regretting it for the umpteenth time and mumbles his greeting back.

He brushes past the Fire Princess (_keep cool, keep cool, don't act all weird_) and momentarily glances at her book - _a sudoku puzzle_ - before he makes his way to boil the water. Katara's commenting again about how he should consider waking up earlier, or train his body to, or whatever (it's a problem they have - he has more sleep than he really likes to, she has less sleep than she's supposed to), but he just can't deal with Katara right now and so his only reply is, "My biological clock sucks. Deal with it."

She doesn't seem fond of the answer, but doesn't has a smart retort - so that's how the conversation quickly drifts to tomorrow's _Breakfast Meeting_ (that's where all the Ministers come together to 'fill in' Zuko of what happened and discuss future plans over breakfast) and this weekend's _Loki Challenge_, an ancient Earth Kingdom game that came from a story Sokka never really pays attention to.

It's actually based on this one God - _Loki_ - who is the Lord of Mischief, or something, who is trying to kill a king - therefore, he invent this thing, where he keeps challenging everybody into a quick sparring and makes it look fun and harmless, and in the end, killing the king. Whoever _that_ may be. The story is too old now and people twists it in various ways to fit their versions of what happened - some say Loki was trying to kill another God, some say that he killed everybody who played, not just a man with a throne, some even say that it wasn't Loki at all, but just an ordinary vengeful man - either way, it involved challenging and killing, in the end.

But because the game was too thrilling, they managed to look pass the gory details and continued the game - without any real killing, of course. You can challenge just about anybody to fight for three minutes, before the winner challenge somebody else into a quick sparring. Sokka remembers witnessing one right after the war - in fact, Qu even once participated in it. He could only last about two sparring, which is good for a non-bender and a young one at that, before he steps down and let the winner challenged somebody else. It's actually how he first recognised Qu.

The Loki challenge has never been a serious battle (well, not like the original) - no one dying, no more blood spilled than necessary - it's actually, if you view it just in the right way, a dance. A fast-tempo music will play and encourage the audience to clap and cheer along while two men (or sometimes, even women) spar, flexing their bodies to avoid attacks and laughs when the opponent manages to strike; the winner usually has to buy drinks to all of the participants in the Loki challenge - probably why most of everyone who participates in the challenge would willingly give up after a three-minute sparring, or two.

They only insert this event into the schedule for the Prince and Avatar's return because the people think it would be cool if someone were to challenge any of those two. And personally? Sokka has every intention to participate in it (he has to make a deal with Qu to challenge him though) just so _he_ could challenge Zuko. It would be nice. Especially when Zuko seems like he's not all too fond about this whole Loki Challenge.

"Catching a bad case of cowardice, Zuko?" He teases the older man and Zuko could only glare, his pale cheeks taint with the smallest hint of pink. The water is boiled and Sokka has already stirred two mugs of Hot Cocoa - sliding one towards the Fire Princess, who accepts without much of anything besides from a small nod of the head, her fingers soon curling around the mug gingerly.

Katara, Zuko and Aang who watches the exchange raise their eyebrows in surprised - Aang looks more pleasant than ever, as if the small interaction is another achievement for him, while Zuko and Katara seems more awkward than anything. But Sokka changes their attention when he lays down his opinion on the Loki Challenge, opposing to the fact Zuko has given: that the game supports violence. "It's tradition, Zuko. You don't _refuse_ tradition. It's practically taboo."

Then, Zuko and him go head-to-head into trying to win their little debate; Zuko jabbing him with many more reasons why he doesn't support the game while Sokka calls on his faults bravely - "Oh come on, that's stupid man. That ain't a legit reason." - just to spite his older friend. The frown etching on Zuko's face when the older man realises he's losing the argument almost makes Sokka misses the slight admiration glazing his sister's eyes at his triumph. _Almost_.

When Toph finally calls Zuko a "wuss" after all of their opinions have been washed up, used, tossed out in the open, considered, debated over - Sokka knows he's won. Zuko doesn't say his peace and heats up his tea.

Katara gives a small reassuring smile towards the Prince's way, "S'okay. It's just a Loki Challenge. Not another Hundred Year War."

"Thank Spirits for that," Sokka mutters, finishing the last drop of his Hot Cocoa. Deciding that they need a new topic to discuss, Sokka asks, "So, what are you discussing at the _Breakfast Meeting_ tomorrow?"

"Security and military defences mostly. We'll go through the reports of the last three years first - I'll have to comment, or/and praise on everyone's effort because based on the earlier, quick report I've gotten, our army has not been disappointing. The amount of crimes aren't necessarily lowering to the point that it has cease its existence altogether - but it isn't anything out of control. New game plans will be introduced and discussed over - and Toph, you said you will be joining me?"

Toph beams, "It will be boring, no doubt - but yeah, I am! I have a game plan of my own, Sparky. Just you wait."

Sokka smiles - _she's probably talking about the police army she's been thinking of building_. "And then, the next day, you'll have the second Breakfast Meeting right?"

"Yeah, that one is mostly to discuss over welfare of the four nations - what needs rebuilding, which places need developing. The Men have already created a vision, and we're all expected to live up to it," Zuko sounds bitter at the mention of the Councilmen and Sokka could feel how the air shifts, just a little bit.

"Is it true that they're thinking of building a new city?"

"They're considering it," Zuko nods and looks at Aang, "I think this is where Aang is requested the most. Because if we're building a city - and I'm pressing on the _if_ - I sure as hell hope it's not a shitty one. Nothing that will disturb the peace again."

Aang looks determined, a straight, tight line on his lips, "I'll do anything I can."

Toph grins, "If you're building a city, Twinkletoes - make sure to invite me, or we'll do an experiment on how high exactly you can fly with the help of my rock-to-the-butt-kiss."

The child in the Avatar glints by the corner of his smile as he looks at the young earth bender, assuring her that _of course he's going to invite her_, like it's the most obvious thing in the whole wide world. Sokka smiles as the Blind Bandit punches Aang on his arms, muttering something about him getting too "soft" and have Katara scolds all-motherly because "punching someone for no reason is no way acceptable" and then Toph responds something witty about Katara missing a period (_ew_) and laughs when Zuko has to restrain the waterbender from pouncing on her.

And Azula? She turns to the next page without even glancing up; her quill seems dry and her Hot Cocoa half-finished.

All and all, Sokka can conclude it's a better day than some.

* * *

"Oh, and hey Zuko?" he asks, when Katara has to accompany Aang and Toph out of the lodge (Toph can't sit still, and she's always dragging the Avatar because she loves being carried, and Katara is on her way out anyway) and Azula has retreated to her room (her sudoku puzzles completed).

The slightly older man doesn't answer, but he lifts his chin up.

"I, uh," he wipes his hand with a warm cloth before the water starts freezing his whole hand up - he's just finished washing the two mugs - and looks back at the Fire Prince, suddenly nervous. _Damn anxiety_. "Just wanted to ask if I can take your sister out tonight."

"What," is his curt respond - unwelcome and harsh.

Sokka definitely cringes. _Chill, man_. He wants to say, but feels his tongue freezing up instead of his now-completely-dry hands. He bites his inner cheek, calming every nerve that's jumping all over the place on the moment, "It's not like, a date or anything. I just, I have something to show her."

Zuko doesn't look pleased - his hands crossing over his chest sternly, his stony stare urging (no wait - "_demand_" is a better word for it) for an explanation.

_Okay, what's up with the sudden three-year-old fear crap? This dude's not the Spirit of Death or anything_, he assures himself, daring to look and matches up to his friend's sharp (totally unfriendly) gaze. "Look, I won't ... like, get her caged up in some cat-wolves trap or anything, so you don't have to worry about your sister being eaten anytime soon."

"That... is not comforting."

"Yeah, okay. I admit; not the best thing to say." He sighs, rubbing the side of his neck and just... get his thoughts straight. He's a brother, Zuko's a brother. They both have a younger sister. He should know how to do this. S'not like he's asking permission to have sex, Spirit's sake. What - why did he have to think about _that_ now?! Sokka grits his teeth. "What I meant is - I want to take her out - not a date though, so don't get your _overprotective-brother shield_ up and attack me. It's just... there's this _thing_ I saw that I thought she'd really like, and um, why not? She doesn't, exactly, have anywhere to go."

Zuko stares long and hard - and man, this dude can be tense when he wants to - before sighing out, "What do you suggest we're to do about the ... _bond_ Azula and I share? Call the Spirits up and ask them if they could make it disappear long enough for you two while you're out on an... adventure?"

"That's why I'm asking you if I could take her out, I wouldn't want you to worry. I'm not asking your permission or anything, because you don't own Mad Princess and I'll be damned to think that she'll ever let me live thinking like that - I want to assure you that if Azula feels even a slight pain in any way, I'll take her back to the lodge, no hesitation, no question-asked, no _nothing_. I'll take her back and cancel my whole idea. I won't hurt her."

_Oh wow, Sokka. Nice speech. Might as well throw in your confession, huh? Since you're in the mood to do so - what, with the whole "I won't hurt her" thing - you might as well say about your plan to marry her and drive off to sunset or whatever and make babies and grow old together!_ Something bitter barks at the back of his head (that sounds awfully like Toph - _that girl!_) but Sokka pushes it far, far behind (not before he adds "I do not want to marry her and drive off to sunset and make babies and grow old together!" helplessly).

Zuko shakes his head subtlety, "I don't - I - " another sigh, "Is it far?"

"The place I'm taking her? Not really. It's not half-way across the world, that's for sure."

"If half-way across the world is what it takes for her to finally feel her muscles clench, I wouldn't be worried. Much." There's a smile on Zuko's face that lacks humour, his stance giving away how truly tired he is. Sokka watches on awkwardly, not really knowing what to do. His older friend doesn't need pity, or a comfort gesture. He needs answers and conclusions - and Sokka? He can't give him that.

"Fine. But as soon as she - "

"I will," he promises and doesn't waver.

The Prince nods, "I believe you."

* * *

"So what, are you in, or are you out?"

Sokka watches his two friends (he had just gotten permission from Katara to go out right after lunch, and they have come to a conclusion that he must be back within one hour - with the look she gave still ingrains in his mind, Sokka has no intention on breaking this deal) and the reactions that's playing on their faces. Qu looks thoughtful (which is very, _very_ much rare) while Tovakk looks unconvinced. He chews on his lips. "Are you sure we can do this?"

"Of course, he won't suspect a thing." Sokka answers, grinning sorta madly (he personally blames Mad Princess - she's really been rubbing off on him).

"I think this just might have a chance to work," Qu voices out, finally, his eyes focused and Sokka's know he is already picturing the whole idea panning out. "I mean, if we could just convince everyone else."

"That's where you two come in," Sokka nods. "C'mon, isn't this the whole purpose the Party Committee allows this into the schedule? So, we could see some action?"

Tovakk narrows his eyes, "But, you'll be the one who - "

"Yes."

His friend shrugs then, "Then I don't see the problem. If he'll ever want to murder someone, he won't be coming at us."

"He has a strange temper," Sokka waves. "Don't count on it."

"So... we're practically handling a suicide mission?" Tovakk doesn't sound too happy.

"It's not - it's just a scheme to make Zuko fight in the Loki Challenge, and have him win the entire thing, and then maybe I could feel the satisfaction of ripping some of his money from babysitting his sister when he buys us all a drink. And make sure to tell Kaoka to bring on the biggest glass they could offer."

Qu smiles even broader, "I'm _totally_ in."

"Do you _not_ get the part where the Fire Lord-to-be could have our heads if he ever finds out?" Tovakk spares a glance at the man besides him.

"_If_ he ever finds out," Qu points out. "We just have to make sure he doesn't."

Tovakk rolls his eyes. "You guys are crazy."

"Just make up your mind, brah. You're either in, or out." Sokka's now doing the thing where he makes nervous move with his knee, moving it in small gesture, up and down, up and down. Spirits, his deal with Katara is _burning_ and he'd really like it if he could see the next dawn. Gritting his teeth, he ushers, "Quick."

"Fine. I guess I'm just as crazy as you two."

"You won't regret it," Sokka laughs, clapping his friend on the arm - Qu joins in and hugs Tovakk. "I _fucking swear_."

Tovakk gives him a look, "You better."

* * *

He has her in more layer of clothing than it's really necessary - he has make _sure_ of that.

So when his fingers are grasping on her arm and pulling her closer to him, he could feel thick fabrics underneath his fingers (almost as if it's mocking him now on the fact that he can't feel the _real her_) - she isn't shivering like she was the other day (and thank Spirits for that), but she isn't exactly warming up either. The snow is already catching on the edge of her dark eyebrows, making his fingers twitch to just brush it away (or kiss and laugh at her because she looks kinda adorable with snow caught up on her face) but with all the power he could summon, he doesn't move a muscle besides from keeping her closer to him.

"You holding up okay?" he asks her, smiling down - because he feels giddy, like a child, excited and way-too-happy.

She doesn't smile back, but her gloved-fingers are grasping onto him - _a tug_ - and she answers, "This better be worth it, Water Tribe Boy."

He doesn't _know why_ - usually when it's her, he never needs a legitimate reason - (and although his cheeks are kinda numb from the weather), but he can feel his grin growing bigger. He steps forward, and makes sure to note on how she's not complaining in pain or anything, and says, "I hope so."

She stumbles when they are near it, but he catches her and he's holding her by the forearm, and she snaps her head towards him, glaring darker when she sees the big grin on his face. He doesn't wait for her to snarl out some nasty comment, because _they're there_ and he could feel something pulsating in his ears (he doesn't _do_ sappy and admits it's his heartbeat) and cocks his chin to the sky, "Look."

She does look.

And he's smart enough to tear his eyes from the aurora australis to look at her, and just... _watch her_ (he realises he's been doing a lot of _that_ lately, and _yes_, it's very creepy). The glare she has vanishes and her eyes are wide and suddenly - _suddenly_ - everything is clear. The colour of her eyes, the sharp fangs of her teeth, the chapped lines on her lips, the little scars between everything, the curl of her lashes, the amazement in her every features - and he sees him, and he sees her, and he sees the two of them, and how fine that situation really is. He lets a gentle smile escapes, "Mom introduced this place to me."

She looks at him, eyes no longer holding a threat, and he gazes back at the aurora, at the edge of the cliff where he always sit. "Come on," he tugs her, "Let's get closer."

She doesn't argue - wow, he must have outdone himself; she has never _not_ argue - and follows him steadily. They never really let go of each other; she still needs him to walk straight, and he doesn't really mind holding her close. He doesn't lead her close to the edge of the cliff, just near it - he wouldn't risk it - and helps her sit down. When he situates himself next to her - not too close that he'll chase her way, but not too far either - he glances back up at the aurora; tonight, it's more greener than any other colour.

"Your mother?" The Fire Princess asks, her voice is in a lower volume than usual. But she isn't snarling, so that's okay.

He nods his head, "Uh-huh. Her name's Kya."

_Hey Mom_, he wants to say but doesn't risk it. He doesn't want the Fire Princess thinking that he has finally join the Crazy Town, or something. _Yeah, I brought a friend to our place. I hope you don't mind_.

The aurora seems to be dancing, twirling, _blending_ with each other and Sokka pretends that Kya is questioning her son: _Who is she, Sokka? Tell me_. That voice is gentle (_always gentle_), not a command - more of a curious tone. Oh, how he wishes he could just talk freely - tell his Mom everything about this woman next to him. _She's the one I have a tiny, eenie-meanie crush on, Mom. It's super weird, because she's supposed to be super crazy, and it doesn't make sense and I wish you were here - I wish you could tell me what you think of her_.

And then, suddenly, Azula speaks up, "I read about this beforehand."

He looks at her, impressed. "Really?"

She nods her head, and there's a (rare) soft smile on her face - that if Sokka doesn't look too close, he might not even notice it at all - and her eyes are trained on the sky. "I never thought I'd see it _this_ close."

"So, you've seen it before?" There's something which feels awkwardly like disappointment crawling up on his skin, but he refuses to let it show (although he's fairly certain that his voice give it away).

"I have the view from the window."

Oh. "Oh," he says, _that makes sense_. He turns his gaze back at the sky.

They sit like that, for a while, calmly (never thought he'd have a night like this with _her_), peacefully. Until there's a nudge on his elbow and he looks at the Manic Princess, blinking up. She looks (almost) bashful, and her eyes are on the snow besides him. She looks like she's wincing, like she's thinking hard or doing something extremely difficult, and then she blurts out, "Tell me - about... about your mother."

He stares at her - _what_ - and, _are you real?_ but he doesn't poke her or pinch her (yeah, he has a crush on her - but he's not ready to lose a finger) and clears his throat. "I, uh - okay. If you're sure."

He takes a deep breath, looking down at the pile of snow underneath him and looks back up at the sky - trying to catch a star or a thousand behind the southern lights - and slowly peels his memory box back to just fill in the silence, "She's ... oh Spirits, she's _amazing_. I mean, she and I - we're never very close - she's always closer to Katara, but... we have our moments. And she ... oh man, where do I even start?"

He laughs (but it's in a way that he never really means it) and looks on sadly, until he feels another tug on his coat. "Her looks," Azula says, her face set in a serious expression but there's a scratch of softness hidden there - Sokka just doesn't know where to point it out. So, he just stares at her blankly. Slower, she repeats, "Begin with how she looks like."

"Oh well," He nods his head, now practically _rummaging_ through that memory box empty. It's been so long, he dully thinks. He knows how his mother looks like - sometimes in crucial details (like a small mole under her right ear, or a faint scar on her hairline) and sometimes even in foggy picture (like he knows she has brown hair, but never knows _how dark_ or _how light _her hair really is) and sometimes, she's just a figure with soft voice and eyes - but it has been _years_, and he doesn't know how to describe. He purses his lips, trying to find something - _anything_ - to say.

"I have her nose," he says in the end - because that's the best option he could think of.

And then he pauses because _oh, wow I just realise how stupid that really sounds_, before Sokka starts again, "But Katara mostly inherits everything from her. I don't really care - I guess I was always a daddy's man anyway, than a mommy's boy. But... she has, like, _crazy blue_ eyes that, even under the dark and no lights on, you can still see the blue, and she almost always _never_ complain whenever I call her out at nights."

"Why do you call her out at night?" Azula suddenly asks, but her tone is quick and the curiosity is overwhelming. She nearly sounds... _desperate_.

"Sometimes you have frostbites," he shrugs, then quirks a grin and leers at her. "Sometimes you're scared of monsters."

The Princess rolls her eyes, "Monsters don't exist."

Sokka sighs, and turns his attention up ahead and his eyes travel over the ices that's floating over the deep blue sea, and some ice lands that they rarely venture to because the ice is thin there. "Yeah," he hears his own voice replying, "Not in the childish forms you think they are."

He stops then, knowing exactly who he means by that (_Ozai!_) and prods Azula, "Hey. I- I don't mean - "

"I understand," she responds with a clip tone, her eyes are glaring - but not at him. "Just... continue."

He nods awkwardly and thinks again - _did I just almost apologised to the fact that I called Ozai's a monster? I shouldn't - he _was_ a monster. A scary one. Yeah, he's a father too, sure, but that didn't_... Sokka clenches his fist, but it's not as effective when all you could feel is comfortable fabric in between your slender fingers. He exhales, "She's always gentle. She's always - she _just knows_ - I used to think she could read minds, you know? Yeah, it's stupid, but I believed that. She could tell whenever Dad was having a rough day, although to Katara and I, he was fine, or she could always point out if I was ever sad."

There's a long pause, and a short memory passes through his mind. He sighs, and shakes his head.

"She's always _strong_, somehow too. She never gave up when she wanted something. And she never always know what to say, but when she holds you - oh Spirits, it's like everything is perfect. Nothing is out of place. But I guess that's a mother, huh?" He feels how dry his lips are, "And she loves us. She loves too much, I think. I don't know if you know this, but she sacrificed herself for Katara when the Fire Lord wanted to kill the only waterbender in this village. I _hate_ that day. I hate most days during the war - but I hate that day the most, besides from when Dad had to go away and fight."

He feels the anger seeping up from his core, feels the way his fingers are clenching more rapidly, feels the roar of a wolf rising up inside of him to lash out - and he bites on his inner cheek until he's sure he tastes blood. "She brought me here when I was five. Katara was with Gran Gran then. She said it was her secret place - and then she repeated, _our_ secret place. And we just sat here, just for a short while, and it was... good. It was like this. It was - "

He turns to look at Azula, who has her eyes perfectly on him - and he _swallows_. " - peaceful," he finishes lamely, when she breaks eye-contact and looks back at the aurora.

Sokka shifts uncomfortably, feeling his nerves vibrating under his epidermis, as if it's _screaming_ at him - but he doesn't know for what, or why. He recalls a hazy memory from three (or, maybe, it's four?) years ago, hearing Zuko muttering on how Azula has never been fond of their mother. He hears the bells ringing inside, but he couldn't stop himself when he finds himself asking, "How... about _your_ mother?"

_Dangerous territory_, his mind goes on full-panic mode when he could see how she sets her jaw and ducks her head lower.

_Extremely, one-hundred percent, dangerous_.

"She...," her voice is strain, and Sokka knows - he _knows_ - he's fucked. Her shoulders are tense, but soon enough (after a millennium, that is) she drops it distinctly, "... I've been told I resemble her more than I resemble my father." She says it in a breath, barely a whisper. But he hears it. "She had always favoured Zuko, perhaps, more than she should. But I didn't let it bother me - as you might put it, I'm more of a 'daddy's girl' than I am a 'mommy's princess'. Though, I can't deny it, we _do_ have our moments."

She seems to be holding her breath, "It was good while it lasted. But I've never ... come to like her. Never like a daughter should, I would have guessed. I don't... I see her sometimes." That last part is even more of a whisper and Sokka has to lean in just to hear her. "I... Not lately, though. Not lately."

"Is that... why you have night terrors? _Her_?"

She takes a deep breath, and lifts her chin up - but _doesn't look at him_. "I dream about lots of other ... horrific things. But, yes, she appeared. She, when she's there, I will - it's impossible... I could never get away from her." And on that moment, Sokka sees something entirely different with Azula - she's not smirking, or leering, or even evil, or the post-trauma Azula that usually gives him look but doesn't eat him or anything - _this_ Azula has _real_ madness behind her eyes, _real_ anger; this is not Azula.

"Mad Princess, hey." He says, and her expression doesn't change. Firmly, he grasps his shoulders and tries again, "Azula."

Nothing.

"_Azula_."

She drops her head and her gloved-fingers reach up to touch his extended arms, "I'm sorry." She says, like she's out of breath. He waits for her (and is it possible for a sweat to actually trickle down one's face in this cold atmospheric condition?) and she gasps again, "I'm sorry. I didn't - "

"It's okay," he ushers out. "Are you in pain?"

"No," she presses on firmly. "I'll be fine."

_She's back_. Sokka lets out a deep, relief sigh - the pressure he puts on her lessens, but he doesn't let her go. "What happened? Are you okay? Like, is that a side-effect, or something? From the... _thing_ that the Spirits did to you?"

She moves her shoulders from him, and he takes back his hands. "Sometimes it's hard to tell."

"To tell what?"

"Between what the Spirits did to me, and my own madness."

"What..." his tongue suddenly tastes bitter, "... _did_ the Spirits do, Azula?"

Under the darkness, she has the deepest frown any person could muster. Maybe he asks too soon - she did say that she will tell him someday, and yeah, maybe she won't, but who is he anyway to pry in? Ugh. Too confusing, _too confusing_! He feels himself huffing and he looks up at the sky, silently praying for help (_c'mon Mom, don't leave me hangin_') when she suddenly says, "Given what happened - the recollection of my punishment," venom is dripping with each word and Sokka secretly shudders, "is itself a tattered thing that if I were given any option, would rather not repeat. Or live through."

Sokka takes a deep breath, and holds it (although he doesn't know why).

"But, since you _insist_." She lets her eyes drag over to him briefly, almost in accusation. "The Avatar informed you what transpired when he was trying to take my bending away, and you saw the aftermath." He nods at that, even if it isn't a question. Yes, he saw. He saw a very much crippled (he cringes at that word) Azula, a broken one (this woman next to him is the aftermath of _that_ Azula - broken still, but managing through). "It happened a few days after I was... after _I lost_ - when you were debating among one another what to do with me - if you were to refresh your memory, you would know I wasn't ... _precisely sane_.

"I think it was because I have hurt another guard when _it_ ... captured me into its grasp. _Cahaya_. That was its name. It was a disgusting creature - everything strange about it, and it was too... _bright_." She stops (for a long time), then rubs her cheek. "As a more creative story-teller might told that our conversations were a rushed one, with _it_ trying to - I suppose - made me realise my wrong doings, while I argued that I wasn't doing anything wrong for me to realise anything."

"I'm gonna take a leap and guess you lost the argument?"

"I didn't allow myself to concede its point, no," she looks up back at the aurora, before dropping her gaze away. "Before it ... _released_ me, it extracted all my memories of things positive. The good, the happy, all of the pieces of my success, victorious moments, every pleasure, every point I have pride to store for myself. And with that, my memories of being a child prodigy gone - as if washed away and all its left was just a meaningless white blank page to stare upon."

Sokka gasps and looks at her (she, of course, remains stoic - posture slightly rigid, and expression a little harsher than before), "So what? You're trying to say that he took all your memory of nice things? How does that... _not_ make your more insane?"

"It said to me, 'Foolish, girl. You are surrounded and blinded with the darkest of dark it could be, and seize hold of it and take it deep within the hearth of your being, constructing a wall that shield you from the beauty, the compassion, the love that is around you. If it's the misery, the grieve that you crave, then that's what I shall give you.'"

He watches her more intently than he ever has - and tries to catch a glimpse of - of - of _anything_, really. Just to wonder how everything works - how she sees things now - in that head of hers, now that it's all really (extremely) jumbled-up. "That's horrible," he mumbles and sees her shrug, although it seems more forced than anything.

Her left thumb brushes over her right knuckles, and for a moment, it's what they both are staring at. He wishes he could pin-point how she's feeling right now - sad? confused? angry? - just so he could arrange his words to say something. It feels wrong (dirty, even) to sit there, being all perfect with complete memory intact, while she's... _just not_. Azula lifts her chin back up, "But it wasn't a perfect process. The dark and the light, the good and the bad are often bound together. And so, to retain the miserable memories, _it_ was forced to leave some good ones as well."

"So... you _do_ remember some good memories?"

"Yes," she says with a hiss, a disgust in her voice. "But it's often useless memories. Nothing to improve on... on my bending."

He knows he's pushing it, but, "Like, what kind of good memories do you remember?"

Her shoulders tense, and she moves her gaze (_far, far_) away from him. There's a hitch when she's trying to reply, but she does anyway, "The one where my mother lets me feel the bending signature. Sometimes just a smile. Or a laughter. Or the _feeling_ - it all came in quick flashes, like an incomplete pieces. I had to fit it all together myself."

He takes a moment to take it all in, "Does the... good memory ever _increase_? Like it comes to you all so suddenly?"

"It doesn't happen very often, but yes."

"That's good, right?"

She sets her jaw again, "Hardly. I am still bending as I did when I was a toddler - childish and tiring. With my memory impaired, I am struggling at my best."

He thinks again of her words, "But you read a lot of books. You even sometimes accompany Aang at a medical centre. Doesn't it help?"

"Not very much," she answers. "Its... It's difficult."

"I could imagine," he mumbles.

"Could you?" Her remarks are sharp, angry - and he wants to say, _no, really, I can't but that doesn't mean that I like it happening to you - or anybody else_ but he only swallows it down, returning his gaze back at the aurora.

"Does Zuko knows?"

She grimaces, "He's more thick than you could ever be, but he does notice, yes. Unfortunately."

Having nothing to say, Sokka lets the air drifts through, carrying the silence (and sometimes, even the distant howling of a cat-wolf). He thinks about the information she has given him - just how valuable it truly is - and for a short second, he thinks about _why in the hell did she just tell me all of this?_ Because by telling him about her diminished bending abilities, she has given him a form of power over her - that, in a battle strategy, could benefit him more than anyone could think. Before he could stop it; his minds are forming all sorts of plan to uncover whatever else are lacking in Azula's ability; where to strike, _how_ he could strike - but he stops because, he realises, Azula is not the enemy here.

At least, he hopes not.

_Maybe she tells me this because she knows I'm too useless to do anything about it_, he concludes and sighs, rubbing his face because he knows snows are catching up to him, and shakes his head. When he looks at the Fire Princess, he finds that she has already been staring up at him. Her expression are calculating; as if, she's trying to figure something out of him. He lets a crooked grin pass by his lips, "We should get back before your brother throws a tantrum."

She doesn't say anything, but follows his steps as he stands. Their fingers are catching together and her force is strong when he's trying to haul her up. She stands, and glances back at the aurora. He smiles gently when he sees the southern lights are reflecting on her eyes.

"This place...," she starts and looks down - at their connected hands. "I'm glad you take me here."

He smiles wider, and nods. "Yeah," he tells her, "I'm glad too."

_Bye Mom_, the words thud in his head as they turn around and he leads her out of there. Looking back for the last time that night, he feels a sudden pang of sadness. Like, it's _actually_ the last time he'll see it. He tries to give the whole memory a smile (_Kya was kissing his temple while five-year-old him shrieked in delight, trying to get away from her_) and sees the way the aurora gives a last twirl - a last wave. He doesn't think much of it and pulls the Princess closer.

She doesn't glare up at him.

* * *

"Thanks, man."

Zuko looks up, unblinking. "For what?"

He rolls his eyes at that, but doesn't let his grin disappear. "For following me and Azula, but still keeping your distance, tonight."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He answers, looking back at a piece of scroll in his hand - probably a report for tomorrow's _Breakfast Meeting_ - but Sokka doesn't miss the slight turn-up by the corner of the Fire Prince's lips.

"Yeah, sure you don't," He says, making his way upstairs. "And I totally don't see your hide-out with Katara and Toph and Aang."

This time, there's a visible smile on Zuko's face. He lowers his scroll down, just slightly, and lifts his eyes to meet with Sokka's, "Thank you."

He grins back, thinking back of the night, and nods, "Don't mention it."

And the night passes.

* * *

**7,794 words. In which, Sokka and Azula are trying to be fluff, but gets too emotional (or serious). _Whaaattt_. Oh my gosh, but honestly though, I'm sorry for the late update (I've always vowed that if I were ever up for a multi-chap, the update between one chapter to another must be like, the _most_, a week apart) and obviously, I've exceeded my own deadline. For that, I apologise.**

**And, ARGH - I've gathered _new_ readers. Welcome on-board my fellow friends, and let's visit the museum of my mind, where I have specifically build a new floor _specially_ for Azula/Sokka and whatever comes with it. Seriously though, thank you for giving my fiction a chance. I've never been one for review responds (and I did it in the last chapter, but that was an exception) but I just... I feel like I need to respond to _some_. Specifically those who holds a question in their review**.

**Exoduss**: You mention a beta, or someone to proof read my story. Which I totally agree, like one-hundred percent, but the problem is (takes a deep breath because this is embarrassing) I don't know how to reach for a beta. I mean, I've seen a lot of people do it - but I never know... _how_. And ugh! I wish I don't suck in English, but _I do_, and ... you see my problem? (please help).

**IntelligentPrincess**: Oh my gosh, I haven't even _thought_ of Ty Lee. But now that you mentioned her, I totally am sketching up a new plan to fit her in somehow (I don't know, maybe a Ty Lee-Azula-Sokka triangle or something? wink, wink, nudge, nudge) lol. But seriously though, thank you sooo muccchhh for telling me your opinion. And, yes, for leaving the review. I appreciated it.

**Soulhope The Wolf**: You asked if they ever tried throwing Azula in the spirit healing water? I'd like to think that, _yes, they have_. I mean, they've been travelling for three years to search for a cure - the spirit healing water must be one of the first few places they visited. But I think I can fit this information into the story (in up-coming chapters), so maybe you could understand better of what I'm trying to explain. The curse, unfortunately, will not shift anytime soon - nor will it vanish. But that _was_ a good idea, I have to admit. Thank you for asking me.

**RJCA27**: (shrieks until the paint on every wall of my house sheds off) HOW IS YOUR FAMILY DOING?! oh my gosh, are they in Philippines? Are they okay? Are they holding up? And how are you? How about your extended family, or something? Do they also live in Philippines? Are they alright? oh my gosh, I'm crying - I'm _crying_. ARE YOU ALRIGHT! You have to know that I'm praying for you and your family, alright - and the rest of the country. I just... I can't believe (resume crying hysterically) ugh, I'm a mess. I'm sorry for ... the whole unnecessary wailing.

**Slyshpuppy234**: I just can't with your review. When I first read it, I was like, super pumped, before I was high by it - and I saw bunch of unicorns pooping rainbows and it was awesome. Oh my gosh, seriously. You have no idea how much how review means to me. Thank you (and my story totally has a crush on you too - but shh, don't tell it).

**Tha' Drac Lord**: Another reader with a really cool name. Wow. Honestly though, that name. I'm digging it (do people still say 'digging', idk). But, really, thank you for your review. I know my English sucks ( I'll try to find a beta, or track down my English teacher, or something) and I seriously apologise for that. 9/10, huh? Okay (smiles evilly) let's see about that. Maybe I could make you change your mind (now, I'm laughing maniacally with thunders zapping randomly in the background).

**Lord Annaymoss**: I died with your review (in a good way). I mean, like - _wow_. I totally have a crush on your review. I enjoy reading everything from your perspective. It's - it's - _mind-blowing_. I can't even word it out. But - lets not get into the mess that is my head (I totally suck at trying to give my own opinion back) and, you wondered if we're ever going to get anything from Azula's point of view. The answer is _yes_. Although I can't exactly tell you when - but it _will_ come. And I hope, when it does, you'll still be sticking around.

**For the rest of the reviewers: Iskandar06 (also a new reader! Welcome, welcome!), tone (always straight to the point), john (my favourite one-syllable named friend), Ecomadness (one of the most faithful readers I've ever seen in my entire existence), and also the one who's favoriting and alerting it and just reading through it: I thank you.**

**And if you guys have anymore questions, or just want to check if I'm still alive, just reach me out through PM or my tumblr account (puckering-gustin)**.


	7. Chapter 6

**Six**

_How to be brave, how can I love when I'm afraid to fall?_  
_But watching you stand alone, a__ll of my doubt suddenly g__oes away somehow_...

Sir Takeshi's face is grim and terrifying, but not the reason behind Sokka's twisted guts - lungs failing, organs squeezed (and he's pretty sure someone is chocking him on the moment because spirits, he can't breathe, he can't see, he can't _think_) and there is no armrest for him to grip himself from falling to the floor, succumbing to the earth's gravitational pull all at once - but he doesn't fall; just sits there, staring at the gloomy old man and hoping that everything is a big joke.

Takeshi's voice booms again in his head - but this time, he hears something big shatters and he thinks it might be his heart.

"Tarro is dead."

Take a deep breath now. Okay. Okay. Exhale. Where was he this morning - about half an hour ago? Think.

(_Think!_)

Where was he - he was walking down the stairs, and he was ready for a jog. He remembers the sound of his boots thumping against the steps, hears his own thoughts on the morning about something random, feels the ache that bit on his muscles, urging for an exercise. He remembers noting that he'll go to the Central Arena this afternoon for a quick sparring.

He's moving down and he's descending the stairs and he looked on the living room and he saw Zuko - and he remembers Zuko; his hair all tied up in the official knot, a Fire Prince's crown in place. His costume all broody and red and big and there's bunch of scrolls by his laps as he sat at the couch that could fit three person (maybe more), and he remembers his mouth moving, asking - "_Why aren't you at the Breakfast Meeting?_"

Sokka barely could make up what happened next - he thinks Zuko shrugged his shoulders at his question, saying something about it being cancelled - because all he could remember next was his feet and his own beating heart and him running against the cold wind, in the snow and him, alone, content and safe.

And now where is he? Where is he?

(_where are you now, Sokka?_)

He was coming back from the jog, and there's no sweat trickling down his face. But his chest heaved and he was levelling his breathing and he was walking back to the lodge and - and -

He saw the Councilmen. All lining up and judging his friends and Zuko was staring at them with a stern face, almost as if in challenge. Katara was standing - her head hung low sadly, her jaw strained - and she was standing more towards the Men than by Zuko. There's Iroh, and he was standing next to his nephew and Sokka remembers Sir Takeshi's harsh, low tone when he finally noticed his presence, how he urged them all to go inside.

And - and - _what_.

What happened next? What's happening now?

"_Tarro is dead_."

Tarro is dead. There it is. That's what's happening, right? What happened. He's sitting here at the same couch Zuko was sitting and he's facing the Councilmen and he's in the middle, Azula by his left side, Aang by his right side (and Zuko sits by Azula's other side) and the air is still and something is breaking, rushing, _collapsing_ and -

He remembers Tarro's blue eyes. The tattoo he had running down behind his ear to his neck. A remembrance of war. He thinks he's snorting because _remembrance of war?_ More like trying to cover the scar that run along the line on his skin; "_Like an air-serpent_," Tarro hissed about the shape of his deep scar when he first showed it to him. "_An ugly one_."

(shh. close your eyes now. close your - )

"_I'm going to be an uncle, Sokka. I'm going to be a_ - "

(what do you see, oh my lonely warrior)

"_A knife through the brain._"

(shut up. just ... _shut up_)

"_It's insanity_."

Sokka opens his eyes and blinks back, realising how dry his lips are and the loose grip Aang has on his arm. He turns to Aang but his gaze are on the floor and his head is reeling and he _just feels lost_ - and he wants to say that "It's okay. I'm okay. I'll be fine." But no words come out and he just ends up staring right ahead again. "Wha - what do you mean?" His voice is raspy and not him, "He was just fine a day ago."

"How was he killed?" Zuko asks, his voice is more commanding than anything.

Sir Takeshi shot the Prince a brief glare, before his eyes linger on the Princess. "Guess," he drawls, slowly moving his line of sight to Sokka.

"What does _that_ mean?" Toph scoffs aloud.

Suddenly, besides him, Sokka feels the way the Princess' body jumps when she snorts, and he drifts his eyes quickly to catch the way Azula rolls her eyes - her face once again missing the 'crazy' element she's supposed to have, and instead is replaced with the 'devious' Princess that's hungry for blood, and even more hungry for the royal throne - "Obviously the man met the same tragic end as his colleague. If what you're intending to do is to blame it all on me, then I won't stop you. But leave the Water Tribe Boy alone. You know very well he's not a murderer and the guard was his friend."

Sokka feels surprised - despite the fact he's certain his whole body has just stop functioning - that Azula has spoken more than four words (let alone four sentences!) to someone who's out of the Gaang. That's an accomplishment - if he isn't where he is and _how_ he is in the moment, Sokka would definitely note it down and pats Azula on the back.

Sir Takeshi's glare sharpens, "What I _know_ is that Tarro was very much concerned over your relationship with Warrior Sokka."

Remembering the conversation he has with Tarro pulls something inside of Sokka and more waves of memories begin to engulf his head that it comes to the point where breathing becomes a difficult task. He closes his eyes and and tries to calm his mind down (_remember pretty stuff, cute stuff, funny stuff, Momo_) and concentrates again in the discussion (confrontation?) in front of him.

Azula sounds annoyed - and bored. "Relationship?"

Zuko stands straighter, his posture screaming that he's in the defence mood (of him, or his sister - Sokka isn't sure) and he looks like he's a minute away from pouncing straight at the Head of the Men. "Sokka and my sister has done nothing to disgrace their honour."

Toph actually snickers, "Dude? Seriously? Are we still on that 'honour' phase?" Okay, he can't help it. He actually smiles at that.

"It has come to my knowledge that the bruises on his wrist are your doing, Princess." Sir Takeshi never once let his gaze drifts away from the Fire Princess - the title still sounds like a poison dripping from his mouth.

Unconsciously, Sokka pulls on his sleeve, now frowning. "No. And how did you even know all of these?"

"Tarro may or may not came to us when he realised that there was no other place to ... express his worry." Sir Takeshi answers smoothly, eyes hard on Sokka. With one glance towards Sir Jing-Jen, the bulk man stalks orderly to Sokka and shoves the sleeves further up, exposing the bruised pattern across his wrist. Against the bigger man's strength, and the shock state he's in, Sokka is powerless and faces away as his hand is being lifted up for all to see. "And would you care to explain where else would you have gotten these wounds, Warrior?"

"It was me," admits Azula, her face calm and her dark brows furrow. "Had I meant him harm, he'd no longer be with us this very moment. I'm still adjusting to dealing with... _other_ people in a more appropriate manner. It was not on purpose." She turns her head towards him, expression as serious as ever. "The event will not repeat itself again."

What? Won't repeat itself again as in "no touching" ever again? Well, there goes the slight development in their relationship! He shakes his head, just subtlety as he tries to pull his wrist from the gross man who's holding it, "Just... be careful, next time, kay?"

Azula makes this head gesture that resembles a nod (is it a nod, though? It's too quick - he can't be sure) when Toph speaks up again, "Okay. Yeah. This dude came to you and complain about whatever, but how does this place Snoozles and _Royal Maniac_ as the killer?"

"It's a fascinating coincidence," observes Takeshi, now eyeing Katara. "Much like _where_ the crime was committed."

"Where?" Zuko grits his teeth.

Takeshi now has his eyes set on Sokka, "A little north from here, at the cliff over-viewing the horizon of the sea." He turns to Katara, "Maybe you could describe it better, my dear?"

"It's - " Katara looks ashamed, but she meets Sokka's eyes anyway. "It's Mom's place, Sokka."

"No," Sokka shakes his head. "It can't be."

Katara doesn't deny her brother, "His body is found lying down, with his back on the snow. Like the previous body, it's burned except for the face – the same insignia on his forehead."

Sokka _literally_ feels his stomach sinking in as his back thud back against the couch, imagining Kya's place now having a dead body lying out of nowhere. Feeling how that sacred place is now tainted with blood, burned skin and dead, cold eyes. _All staring back at him_ –

He grits his teeth quickly – _get a fucking grip, Sokka_.

"You don't look surprised, Princess. Is there something you might want to tell us?" Sir Futoshi speaks up, his eyes narrowing dangerously towards the Fire Princess.

"What are you trying to imply… _sir_?" Azula snaps back, and though her exterior is calm and perfect, Sokka could detect there's a storm (a storm of all things not good) building inside of her.

"Oh we're not idiots," hisses Futoshi again. "We knew you two went on a little date there last night!"

"I knew it!" Toph shouts, now glowering. "You _are_ spying on us."

"Well, that shouldn't be a new founding, now should it? A loose, raging, unstable Princess are out here on the hands of children," Futoshi now glares on fully at Toph, spitting every damn word. "Only mad men would just sit back and _do nothing_."

"Futoshi," Takeshi intones, sending one of the infamous glare that Sokka's sure could send a dead man back to his grave, and watches as Futoshi stands his ground, nods his head shamefully and stands back with the rest of the Men. Takeshi stares back at them, wearing an expressionless mask, "I could hardly say a Fire Prince and an Avatar are just children."

Truer words have never been spoken and yet, Sokka feels like the old man is just mocking them.

"So, what, are you not apologising for that or something? I mean, you must know what you're doing is a complete invasion of privacy and totally, without a doubt, a creepy thing to do." Toph spats again.

"I guess I do owe you at least that," there's a subtle growl in Takeshi's voice - but other than glaring, he's not doing anything that can officially give Sokka a legitimate reason to pull out his knife. "On a more serious note, though. Katara?"

Katara suddenly bends out a plastic full of snow. With a strained voice, she says, "Here's the snow we've collected from the scene of the crime. Sir Futoshi wants you… to examine it." She sounds like she isn't sure, but the snow lands on the coffee table in front of them and Sokka gingerly takes hold of it. He passes it to the Fire Princess, who has the tip of her hands brushing with his.

At the sudden sensation from the contact, Sokka pulls his hand quickly, "That's worse than the porch!" he says; now feeling the tingling feeling of needles pricking on his skin. He kisses it while his eyes flutter to watch Azula taking it, eyes hard in concentration. He hums under his breath, as the slight peppermint sensation is finally tasted_._

"What happened?" Katara asks, her shoulders jumping and her eyes wonder to Sokka's fingers.

"Bending signature, I believe." Takeshi responds in an bored tone. "He was just experiencing it because the Princess has allowed him to feel it, through her. Nothing to worry about."

"I-is, is this harmful?" Katara shrieks worriedly.

"I don't think so..." the old man's voice floats, raising a brow to Sokka while he shakes his head to his sister, assuring her.

"Do you recognize it?" Takeshi has his eyes flicking back to the Fire Princess, his question almost appears desperate.

"No." Is Azula's answer, her eyes tell of how disinterested she is.

"What - what is a bending signature?" Zuko suddenly yelps.

"I thought that was a myth," says Iroh thoughtfully. "If I'm not wrong, it's when your bending leaves ... a trail of their bending 'scent' onto a place when it is used in a large portion. It takes only highly concentrated, well-focused people to become a full master of - "

"Well then, Uncle." Azula snaps, "It won't be a surprise if it's _me_ who has come to master it, won't it?"

"Arrogance, my niece. It will help you nowhere," chuckles Iroh. "But if I may, a question; where do you learn such a thing?"

There's a beat of pain that passes over Azula's face, Sokka notices, but the only thing she's doing is flopping the snow sample back on the table, "Ursa."

"Ah," is all Iroh responds with, a blissful expression crossing his eyes.

"Enough. Princess, of the signature. There must be more to it, I hope? Well, as your boy said the other day; 'you must know something'." Futoshi declares, raising a brow in challenge.

Sokka's about to open his mouth to bite back an answer (while he's still stupid enough to do it) when Azula cuts him to it, "He is no boy but his own person, and you are fully aware of my condition, of my memory." He notices how she doesn't say _bending_, but memory.

"So I've been told." He darts his eyes lazily back to the rest of the group, before his attention lands back on the Princess again. "If you didn't do it, then who did?"

"I. Don't. Know." There's anger now behind her golden eyes and Sokka could see the furrow between her brows – how it deepens, and it starts to feel even more threatening.

"I don't believe you."

"I'm hurt," replies Azula dryly, her head tilts slightly to the side, her gaze sharpening.

Takeshi merely rolls his eyes, drawling, "Whoever kills these guards leave a bending signature all over the crime scene, right?"

The Fire Princess nods, "As I've said before, it's familiar but I can't place from where… or what."

There's a 'tsk' that comes out from the old man's mouth as he straightens his posture back, eyes drowning with disbelief as it rests on the Fire Princess. "Well I suggest you find a way to jog your memory – and make it quick if you will, Princess," he says, mockingly, and stares back in a grave expression.

"You can't just _ask_ her to do that," Zuko tells it in behalf of his sister, who seems to be vibrating more in anger and alerting everyone of her on-coming temper.

Sokka sniffs, and cringes at the scent of peppermint wafting through the air; a pissed-off form of it, of course, where the spice is more than the actual mint is. He observes the Princess carefully, silently noting the way her shoulders squares, her fingers clench in her fists and the way her brother's pleading voice just doesn't get to her anymore. "Hey, Mad Princess. You okay, right? You're not going to… You're too much of a genius for that."

He purses his mouth when there's no respond – not a scowl, not a gaze – when he nudges her. Taking a deep inhale of breath, he remembers of her vow not to hurt him, or whatever version it is from Azula's dictionary, and decides to grab her hand.

Now, full-on skin contact, Sokka bites his lips when the power eats on his arm, spreading on his body almost too quickly that he feels his body falling sideway until Aang reaches up and steady him. Zuko's on his feet now, alarmed, "Are you alright?"

He breathes out slowly as he adjusts to the sudden power – that feels as if there's real, angry fire eating on his veins from the inside – and nods his head helplessly, trying to leer up an easy smile, "Yeah, it was just… It was a rush."

"That was very dangerous, Sokka," Aang whispers worriedly, gripping hard on him now.

"Seriously though," Sokka nods at the Avatar, feeling sad now that he has upset his young friend, "I can manage."

Azula stares at him wide-eyed, panic surges her expression for a moment before she settles back with a grim, tight-lined lips and harsh gaze while she takes back her hand from his hold. "Idiot." Eyes narrowing, her gaze drops to the floor, and Sokka knows she's back to become the 'broken Princess' everyone's talking about; the one who avoids human-contact at all cost.

He frowns.

"Now, if you're done dick-fencing, what else are you holding up, huh? 'Cause I know there's more to this meeting than just to drop us the bomb of a news." Toph snarls, frowning.

"Well, yes. With the second murder, we can no longer play pretence that everything is as it is," Takeshi hisses, taking a deep breath. "We will have you back to the Main Land." He announces, his voice clear and booming. "All of you - and this time, we will not tolerate with any of your arguments. The decision is final and you are to be on your way out of here before the sun reaches its peak."

"But - "

"A ship will be ready in a matter of few hours." Takeshi bows slightly, signalling the end of the discussion (or lack thereof). "I'll see you then."

Sokka stares at the floor for a long time, trying to sink the information in.

After a long while, he shudders and sighs, "I guess we're leaving."

* * *

"Mahalo, brah."

Sokka stares back at the now glassy-eyed Qu, who looks as if he's torn between punching a hole in the wall, sobs himself to death and humouring himself until he's sure nothing is wrong with the world. _Mahalo_, the word thuds like a distant echo and Sokka gives his friend a tight grin. _It means thanks_. "What for?"

"For everything," Qu mutters sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "You're a great friend, Sokka."

Sokka barks out laughing - but feels the heat of tears threatening to fall by the lids of his eyes, "Wow. This must hit you harder than I thought."

"Yeah well," huffs out Qu, crossing his arms over his chest. "I've had enough people leaving me, a'right."

There's a longing look passing over his eyes and Sokka's laughter dies in his throat, his lips going dry again perhaps for the thousandth times that day. Everybody has been hurt from the War; a scar each of them carry if not on their flesh, then under it. Qu is not an exception. Sokka tightens his grip on his friend's shoulder, urging Qu to lift his chin up and they both smile - albeit sadly - before hugging each other.

Sokka lets out a hot breath of air, "You're a great friend too, Qu."

"Yeah," he answers sadly, pulling away. "Sappy doesn't suit us. Just stay safe."

"I will if you do."

"You bet."

* * *

"So, what - we're not going to prank our future Firelord?"

He shrugs his shoulders, "I guess not."

Tovakk shakes his head, a fake smile plasters across his face. "Oh, that's bad, then right? I was really expecting to, you know- "

"I'll come back soon, you know that right?"

Tovakk imitates the shrug he expressed a second ago, "the Main Land's a good place. I won't be surprised if you find yourself comfortable there."

Sokka doesn't disagree, "Just take care of yourself and Qu for me, okay?"

"Yeah," he nods. "Just, if you can, be back home soon alright. Qu's going to take over as the official heir of his family, and I'm sure he'd like it if _you're_ the one who sits with him through the ceremony."

Sokka blinks, "Yeah. I-I almost forgot about that one - "

"Don't worry about it. That's like, a few months away or something. I'm sure you'll be home by then."

"I guess," Sokka nods, pursing his lips and staring at the snow; the guilt he has over forgetting the fact Qu has _that_ to worry about distracting him - until Tovakk nodges him by the shoulder.

"Write to us, will you?"

"Of course."

"Good."

* * *

"You will be good over there, alright. I'll come soon. I'll be on board with Katara, and we'll... try to clean this whole mess up." Hakoda says, gripping on his son's shoulder as his eyes flick to the ships ahead - and Sokka dumbly notes about the increasing amount of wrinkles painting over his old man's face.

"I know how to handle myself, Dad." He nods his head, averting his eyes sideways as he holds harder on the strap of his make-shift bag.

Hakoda concentrates again on his son, an old, genuine smile spreads over his chapped lips. "Of course I know that, Sokka. Just... be good. And," he hesitates, "-and that Princess, if you're sure she's not the - "

"She's not."

Hakoda nods, "If you're certain, protect her."

Sokka snorts, rolls his eyes. "I think she can pretty much handle herself - "

"I don't mean it physically, Sokka."

He blinks back. "Okay," his mind reels again when he catches the Princess' figure boarding the ship, "Yeah. Okay. I understand."

"Remember Sokka. Remember who you are."

He promises Dad he won't forget.

* * *

"Katara remains here with Dad until they sort through the body completely - both of them, I guess - and they'll be joining us within the next three days. Toph and Aang flies away about half an hour ago. And, I guess, I'm tagging along with you."

Zuko nods, exhales and nods again. "Alright. Welcome aboard."

Sokka doesn't feel welcome and swallows, "I'll be in my room."

* * *

When it's lunch, Sokka refuses to go out. He just lies there on the bed, facing the ceiling, feeling the muscles on his body clenches and moves, his chest rising up and down, his heartbeat rates rise and slowing its pace; anything, really - to distract the weak mind of his from seeing himself looking over the porch of the lodge and seeing where Yuan's body is supposed to be but having replaced by Tarro's burned corpse instead.

He shut his eyes completely and forces his body to slump deeper into the bed; _maybe I could blend in and disappear completely_.

Yeah, he decides. That's a good idea.

Unfortunately, just before he could test his theory on blending it with his sheet and the mattress, there's a few hard knocks on his door that interrupts his thoughts and immediately sends him groaning loudly. This is the _fourth_ time the guard has knocked his door to inform him that his lunch is getting cold. It's starting to get _extremely_ annoying. "Go. Away!"

There's silence from the other side of the door until a strained, _very familiar_ voice, replies back, "I'm afraid you can't get rid of me _that_ easily, Water Tribe Boy."

Because he can't believe his ears, he quickly shuffles to his feet and stalks to open the door - confirming his suspicion when the Princess stands by his door; her brows furrowed slightly and her lips are set in a tight, straight line and in her hands are a tray of food. A fearful maid stands behind her, a matching set of tray filled with food in her hands too. "What are you - are you lost?"

The Fire Princess rolls her eyes, but doesn't meet his. "I'm... I thought it would be nice if we - " she grits her teeth and exhales loudly, "I brought lunch."

There's a faint smirk on his lips, "I can see that."

"Are you - do you _wish_ to let me stand here all day then, Water Tribe Boy?"

"No, no, I just. Here, let me - " he reaches out to the maid and takes the tray - only now realising two mugs of Hot Cocoa on it - before gently thanking her and sending her away. "I don't expect you to... Isn't it beneath you to be concern over a water tribe savage?"

She narrows her eyes dangerously, "Beneath is an understatement," she says, a thumb flicking over the tray and he looks around momentarily, realising they must have not been very far because the air is still cold although the sight of any ice are barely in sight over the blue sea. "But I imagine my station, or whatever remains of it, can salvage this act of shame - perhaps even making me a better person."

"Ah, and isn't that the dream?" His joke is dry and his voice sounds false when his gaze falls back on this young woman in front of him. "I don't want to eat."

She flinches, but doesn't respond. Not after a while, that is, before she opens her mouth and stares right at him. "_Please_."

Sokka doesn't laugh, although in different circumstances he might have, and takes a step back; his left shoulder pushing the door to open wider and giving space for the Princess to enter. Her steps are graceful, he realises, when she's taking them - a solid, fast and swift moving of action. She puts her tray on the low table at the middle of the room and doesn't cringe at the way he leaves his bag around, a few of his stuff scattering about.

He doesn't shut the door completely, makes sure there's a guard standing by if anything happens, just because.

Setting the tray on the table, he watches the Princess across from him by the corner of his eyes, because he's pretty sure she's imaginary and not there in reality. She raises a brow and dares herself to gives him a quick gaze, "You might want to note that my head didn't explode in a million tiny pieces and release confetti."

Sokka can't hide his grin, "Funny."

She shrugs simply, placing her bowl of fish steadily. "I can heat the Hot Cocoa, if you wish."

"Yeah, that... would be helpful, thanks." He hands her one of the Hot Cocoa, and taking the other one nearer to her. She takes it without any hesitation and wraps her fingers around the mug. Her dark gaze set in a serious note, concentrating while Sokka begins to notice how his Hot Cocoa starts to release hot air. When she's done, she looks back up to him.

Sokka takes the Cocoa from her and gingerly sips on it. He doesn't comment that it needs to have just a little bit more sugar and she doesn't do anything besides from gradually lifting her chopsticks to take the first chew. He observes her and voices out, "Didn't you have lunch?"

She opens her mouth to say something before closing it up, and shaking her head - as if denying whatever thought she has in her mind. After that, she settles with a simple, "No."

"I can't say I'm not surprised on the fact that Zuko isn't here freaking out about your health or whatever."

"He has been informed that I will be having my lunch in the company of ... well, you." She says simply, like it's the most obvious statement in the whole world.

"Well that's good," he says distractedly, now playing with his chopstick. By the end of the meal, it's clear that she's eaten more than him - though she only sips about a quarter of her Hot Cocoa while he drinks his until the last drop. He entertains her for a while, about stupid stories of stuff when he's building the South Pole right after the war, scrapping through his memory box because it seems that he can't stop talking when he starts. It doesn't lessen the pain that's beating in his every muscle - in fact, it feels more like the stories just weigh more on him as he drags it on.

Azula never peeps up a single word - she'd let out a rare, small hint of a smile here and there when he mentions something hilarious, but other than that, she just listens (or maybe she's _pretending_ to - it doesn't matter, really) - but she never indicates any sort of movement that she wants to be out of that room, and away from him.

It feels good, despite it all. Having her around feels good.

Towards the end of the story where he kinda just trails off, he's sitting besides her on the floor, by his bed and there's a few hand-made hair-tie, of which he keeps from when a bunch of native kindergartener makes it for him on the second Remembrance Day, on the floor and in between them. She's holding onto a hair-tie (his second-favourite one, actually) when she says, "You're in shock. You should rest."

"I'm not - "

He doesn't even realise his tears until it drops off from his chin and onto his right knuckles (and he watches it through glassy-view as it dribbles down his hand to his wrist and disappears from view and feels how the trail of his tears burnacross his skin). At the second strangled hiccup, he wants to run away or chase _her_ away, but her hands are reaching out to him and then his shoulder drops and she's pulling him (he thinks), and then he has his face buried on her shoulders and she's holding him and he's trying to hold himself up and _it's not fucking working_.

He could smell her - that smell of a very-red rose that grows around Piandao's backyard garden (oh yes, he remembers) and a very vague peppermint scent - and then he thinks back about Yuan and Tarro and he cries for them (cry for what he can't do), and along those, he guesses, old pain just slips away too. The tips of her fingers are cold when it brushes the back of his neck before her hands are wrapped around his neck. His arms are big, he feels, when it envelops her small body and brings her closer - and he cries harder, because kindness from Azula is strange and leaves him even more... _of a mess_.

Vulnerable, exposed, raw.

He's a living wreck.

When his mortally ugly sobbing stops, he finally manages to control his breathing again and his tears start to feel like a _whole bunch of bad ideas for breakfast_. He's still hiccuping though when he slowly pulls away and cringes at the messy spot on her left shoulder, but she doesn't even look bothered when he studies her face. She doesn't say anything, but her hands are on his arms as she guides him to his warm bed, sitting him down properly.

She kneels down then, picks up every hair-tie by his feet and puts it back inside of his bag. She casts the bag aside simply and stands in front of him, and he tips his chin back up, daring to meet her eyes. Unconsciously, his hand creeps up and sweeps over the Princess' pale (cold) cheek until he reaches her dark bang, and tugging on it. When she flinches and tries to swaps his hand away, his face splits into a grin - a real, genuine one. "I'm sorry," is all he whispers, "I must be a stupid waste of your time."

"You're not stupid," she swats his hand away, her face grim. "If all goes well, we'll reach the Main Land right after sunset. But if not, I'll make certain the crew inform you of dinner."

"Yeah," he nods and slumps to his bed, hiding his face against the pillow. "That sounds good."

_Can you stay?_ He wants to ask, but holds his tongue. He rolls his body, his back facing her and hears her hum in acknowledgement as she takes those solid and swift steps away. Swallowing, he voices out in hope she isn't ignoring him then, "Thanks."

The door shuts.

Exhausted, he falls asleep immediately afterwards.

* * *

**5,187 words. Okay, yeah. I know lots of you must have a knife right by my throat right now but I _do_ have an explanation on why there's a delay in my update. Keeping it short, all I could say is family matters come up and I wasn't able to avoid it. This... _family issues_ will be going on for about until before Christmas, and therefore, I could not guarantee you a-week-in-between updates. By Christmas Eve, I think everything will be okay again and I can all give you a regular update (hopefully)**.

For **Exoduss**: I'm sorry that I didn't reach out for your help on this chapter because the mayhem that is my family starts bombing on my life and I can't find the time to just clear my head, properly send you a message, and idk, arrange _some_thing with you. But next chapter though - next chapter - I promise you, I'll have a chapter for you to proofread. I _swear_. I can't guarantee when, but - just wait for it.

**As for everybody else, I wish I could reply to your reviews (and I really want to) but I'm already a mess right now and it's like, four in the morning and ugh. I'll have a proper chapter next time, I promise. But guys, before I end this author's note or something, I just wanna say that I come up with a **SUGGEST-A-FLUFF COMPETITION**. What is that, you ask me? Okay, so basically, there's this stupid ideas that I come up with, for you, the readers, to give me any scene you want me to put in this story based on the genre/topic I will be giving out. **

**Like this time around, you can give me a _fluff_ scene that could fit in with the story in the up-coming chapters. Eg: "Sokka and Azula going out for a walk and stumble upon..." or "Azula teaches Sokka to..." or "Someone teases Sokka and Azula..." etc, etc. It doesn't necessarily need to be super serious (because the whole genre of this story is, yeah, i know, pretty serious), I mean, they can have a short, cute moment if I want them to. _Andddd_ the most interesting suggestion will have a scene in one of my chapters (not like I'll just desert the rest of the ideas, of course). So, if you have any fluff suggestion, just go ahead - type it out in the review and tell me**.

**If you have any question about this suggest-a-fluff competition, don't be afraid to reach out to me through PM, or my tumblr ask. And if you simply have no idea for a fluff, just wait for another round of this suggest-a-something competition 'cause maybe the next time I'll have you suggesting a sad scene, or an action scene, or an embarrassing one. **

**Anyway, thank you - and I hope your day is going on well**.


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